A KAYAKER from Warrington has been found dead two weeks after he went missing.
The body of Bren Orton has been found in Lake Maggiore on the Swiss-Italian border.
It comes two weeks after the 29-year-old was reported missing on the Melezza River in the Ticino region of Switzerland.
A post from his sponsor, Pyranha Kayak, read: “It is with immense sadness that we announce that our friend and ambassador Bren Orton is no longer with us.
“It has been reported that Bren’s body was recovered yesterday in Lago Maggiore, Italy, following a tragic accident on the nearby river Melezza on May 16.
“The outpouring of love and support from the paddling community since Bren went missing has been extraordinary.
“This support has been a profound source of strength for all of us, especially for his family and close friends.
“Sending our love to our paddling family at this time.”
Bren started kayaking when he was just nine years old after discovering his love for the sport during a school trip.
With more than 33,000 subscribers on YouTube, he is known for documenting his time travelling the world kayaking.
His latest video was taken in Italy nine days ago, where he kayaked down the Devil’s Slide – an infamous series of narrow, twisting waterfalls on the Sorba river.
A former St Gregory’s Catholic High School, Bren was reported missing on May 16.
It is understood he became trapped in the water and did not resurface.
A large search effort ensued, with officers from the Ticino and Ascona police forces as well as rescuers from the Locarnese and Valli Ambulance Service.
However, Pyranha Kayaks shared the sad news of his death on social media on Friday evening (May 31).
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