Kayakers Daniel Villa and Juan Carlos Penaranda found dead in Shinnecock Bay, Southampton police say

The bodies of two kayakers who had gone missing Tuesday evening near Shinnecock Bay washed ashore overnight during a police search, according to the Southampton Town Police Department.

The kayakers — whose concerned family had called the police at 1:29 a.m. — were Daniel Villa, 25, of Southampton, and Juan Carlos Penaranda, 43, of Quogue, the department wrote in a news release.

Villa and Penaranda had boarded a double-occupant kayak and departed from the old south Ponquogue pier, heading west into the bay at about 8 p.m., the release said.

The body of the person later identified as Villa washed ashore at 4 a.m. at the northwest corner of the Ponquogue Bridge. Soon after, Penaranda’s body washed ashore just north of the Amalfi Restaurant, along the bulkhead.

The investigation into the deaths is ongoing.

It's the second such occurrence in just over six months. In November, the police recovered the bodies of two kayakers who had gone missing in the bay.

Jimmy Mack, president of the Southampton trustees, who steward the town’s shores and waterways, said kayakers ought to practice standard safety procedures and consider the risks before going out on the water.

"Don't go out at night, make sure you have a personal flotation device on, and consider the environmental factors that are in play," Mack said in an interview. "The water is cold."

"Even with a PFD," he said, referring to a personal flotation device such as a life jacket, "if you turn over in a kayak, you better be a good, strong swimmer, because hypothermia is going to set in before you get to the shore."

Nationwide in 2024, there were 89 fatalities in kayaking, down from 95 the year before, according to Paddling Magazine, citing Coast Guard statistics.

Newsday's Alek Lewis contributed to this story.

Check back for updates on this developing story.