Missing Chicopee kayaker found deceased, DA says; another man from separate Conn. River incident still missing
HOLYOKE — Nicklas Delisle, the Chicopee kayaker who went missing on the Connecticut River earlier this month, has been found dead, officials said.
Delisle, 27, was found by the Hampden County Sheriff's Department Marine Patrol Unit early Friday afternoon in Holyoke near the South Hadley line, according to Rob Rizzuto, public information officer for the Sheriff's Department.
The site was not far from where Delisle's kayak originally capsized, Rizzuto said.
Delisle went missing on May 19 while on a fishing trip with his girlfriend, Mya Ballard, 23. Ballard was rescued that evening by a passerby, according to Delisle's uncle, Nevin Bastin, at the time.
Bastin declined to immediately comment Friday about the news.
The search for Delisle began almost immediately after he disappeared around a bend in the river. Multiple agencies, including the Sheriff's Department, the Western Massachusetts Regional Dive Team, the Massachusetts State Police, the Connecticut River Task Force, Westfield Fire Department, Holyoke Fire Department, Chicopee Police Department, Southwick Police Department, South Hadley Fire District 1, Agawam Fire Department, and Northampton Fire Department, used resources to locate Delisle.
'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Hampden District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.'
The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the DA's office.
Meanwhile, it has been more than 80 days since Daniel Callahan, a 26-year-old from East Windsor, Connecticut, went missing in the river.
In April, bright signs about the missing man were posted along the Connecticut River in the Nutmeg State, including information about where he was last seen and what he was wearing.
On March 9, shortly after midnight, authorities received a report that a man had walked into the river at the end of Walter Street in Chicopee.
The following day, Callahan's car was pulled from the water.
A multi-agency search also was ongoing for Callahan, but had slowed in April.
The search for him is still ongoing, according to Nick Cocchi, sheriff of Hampden County.
'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle,' Cocchi said in the DA's statement. 'But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.'
Callahan's family could not be immediately reached Friday afternoon.
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