ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Deputies have recovered the body of a missing teen after a canoe capsized on Lake Jessamine on Monday afternoon, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies identified the victim as 17-year-old Eduardo Duarte.
In a release, deputies said they were dispatched around 1:05 p.m. Monday after receiving a report about the capsized canoe near the 5500 block of Lake Jessamine Lane.
WATCH: Orange County deputies search for missing boater after canoe capsizes on Lake Jessamine]
“Based on a preliminary investigation, four teens went canoeing when the canoe capsized on Lake Jessamine,” the release reads.
Both the sheriff’s office and Orange County Fire Rescue helped with the search.
Duarte’s school, Forest Lake Education Center, issued a statement Thursday:
“It is with profound sorrow that we share news of the devastating loss of a former FLEC student (current FLA student) following a tragic canoe accident that occurred earlier this week.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the student’s family and loved ones as they endure immeasurable loss. We also extend our heartfelt prayers and support to the other students involved and to all who have been affected by this heartbreaking event.
“As students, teachers, and staff return to campus, Forest Lake Education Center is preparing to support those impacted by this event and to walk alongside our community as we grieve together.
“We ask that you continue to lift this family, the students involved, and our entire Forest Lake community in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.”
A Meal Train account and a GoFundMe were set up for the family.
Neighbors described the tense scene as the search continued early into Tuesday morning.
“I was a little shook up,” said Dylan Alpert, who lives nearby. “Especially seeing all the bright lights and fire trucks out here yesterday, all day. And this morning I got woken up with the helicopter flying over.”
Alpert, who says he regularly opens and locks a nearby boat ramp, recalled seeing the group before they entered the water.
“They were just carrying it (canoe) by hand, and they were kind of struggling with it,” he said. “I mean, we had a bad feeling watching them going out.”
He also noted the lake’s varying depth could make the search more difficult.
“There are some spots in that lake that are 20 or 30 feet deep, but where it looks like where they flipped over, it’s about 10 feet or so,” Alpert explained.
Residents in the area say the incident has shaken the community, calling it one of the most tragic events on the lake in years.
“It’s really shocking,” one neighbor said. “It’s probably one of the most tragic things that has happened on this lake in a long time.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office says the canoe took on water due to the weather before it capsized.
Deputies say they believe the drowning was an accident, and the case will remain open until autopsy results come back.