Two brothers die when canoe flips over on Lake Waukomis

LAKE WAUKOMIS, Mo. -- Two brothers drowned early Saturday morning when their canoe flipped over on Lake Waukomis, police said.

The bodies of John Utter, 24, and James Utter, 23, were recovered several hours after their canoe overturned. Police said the accident happened around 3:30 a.m.

The Lake Waukomis Police Department received calls from lake residents around 2:30 in the morning saying two men were fighting, Det. Bob Boydston said. The men reportedly left the scene but later returned to take a canoe out on the lake, in the Kansas City suburb.

The residents called police again about an hour later, saying the men appeared to be in trouble out on the 100-acre lake.

An underwater rescue team from Lee's Summit used sonar to find the men's bodies in 25 feet of water and recovered them after daybreak.

"We believe now both events involved the two brothers who subsequently drowned," Boydston said.