Two canoeists were found dead in California's Tomales Bay after setting out on a nighttime paddle just before midnight on Saturday, with authorities now investigating the cause of their deaths. The Marin County Sheriff's Office confirmed the pair had been camping along the bay before heading out; when they failed to return the next morning, fellow campers alerted emergency services, triggering a search-and-rescue operation. The case matters because it highlights the risks of a nighttime activity that has grown increasingly popular in the area.

One victim has been publicly identified as 36-year-old San Francisco resident Casey Flynn Melia, while the identity of the second person has not been released. Rescuers found Melia's companion unresponsive in the water before later locating Melia near Hog Island; both were pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination and toxicology tests are due later this week as part of a joint inquiry involving the Sheriff's Office, the US Coast Guard and the National Park Service, which has urged nighttime kayakers to use 360-degree lights for visibility, particularly given the bay's popularity for viewing bioluminescent plankton.