Two kayakers were found dead in the waters near Hampton Bays, Long Island early Wednesday — a day after they were reported missing, cops said.
The bodies of Daniel Villa, 25, of Southampton and Juan Carlos Penaranda, 43, of Quogue, were recovered from Shinnecock Bay.
Police say the men embarked from Ponquogue Pier around 8 p.m. Tuesday, using a singular two-person kayak to head west through Shinnecock Bay.
Daniel Villa, 25, of Southampton, and Juan Carlos Penaranda, 43, of Quogue, were found dead in the waters near Hampton Bays, Long Island, early Wednesday. Edmund J Coppa Family members of the deceased reported them missing around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Villa was found at the northwest corner of the Ponquogue Bridge around 4 a.m.
Penaranda was found near a bulkhead north of Amalfi restaurant on Lighthouse Road, adjacent to Hampton Bays.
A massive search was conducted by local, federal and state agencies — including Southampton Town Police, Southampton Village Police, Hampton Bays Volunteer Ambulance Corps, the state Department of Environmental Conservation and the US Coast Guard.
The two kayakers were reported missing by their respective families around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday before their bodies were found at Shinnecock Bay. ABC 7 The Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the causes of death.
Local officials warned residents to exercise caution when kayaking.
“Don’t go out at night, make sure you have a personal flotation device on, and consider the environmental factors that are in play,” Jimmy Mack, president of the Southampton trustees, told Newsday.
This week was just the latest tragedy to befall kayakers in the area.
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In November 2025, Shane Garcia, 27, and Aaron Montemarano, 25, were found dead while kayaking toward the Ponquogue Bridge.
Garcia and Montemarano were last seen in Shinnecock Bay in a selfie sent to Garcia’s girlfriend.
