Missing Brit kayaker Bren Orton, 29, found dead after vanishing in Swiss river as tributes paid to ‘incredible human’
A MISSING Brit kayaker has been found dead in Switzerland after vanishing last month.
Bren Orton, 29, was feared dead after disappearing under the Melezza River in Ticino on May 16.
A desperate two-week search was launched for the extreme kayaker before his body was found in Lake Maggiore – between Switzerland and Italy.
Swiss cops confirmed it was Bren and said: “The alarm was triggered by a sailor who found the body in the water and immediately notified the emergency services.
They said on Thursday last week: “Shortly before 1pm in Locarno, the lifeless body of the man who disappeared on 16 May while kayaking in the Melezza was found in the waters of Lake Maggiore.”
Former kayaker James Reeves paid tribute to Bren on Facebook: “Every few years we seem to lose a friend to our sport. Each loss is tough, and this one cuts deep.
“Bren Orton was an incredible human. From his teenage years, his warm smile and friendly nature shone as brightly as his kayaking skills.
“I was privileged to briefly mentor Bren in his early years, and then watched in awe as he rose to became one of the greatest whitewater kayakers ever.”
Bren shared his travels around the world with around 60,000 followers on Instagram.
Some shared touching tributes following news of his death.
One of his fans described the kayaker as an “inspiration”, writing: “A real life gentleman, an inspiration, and world class.
“On to the next Adventure Bren Orton. Thank you and goodbye.”
Someone else said: “Guests loved just hanging out with him, and Bren always impressed us with how much he’d just go kayaking with regular kayakers like we all are.”
Cops and specialist search teams were dispatched to hunt for Bren after he went missing around 2.45pm on Thursday May 16.
Italian police were also called in to help with the search efforts.
The Brit, who achieved a world record in 2018 by kayaking down a 128-foot-high waterfall in Mexico, was reportedly dragged down into the water by recirculating waves.
Police said he was sucked out of his kayak in the process.
Bren’s disappearance was announced by Pyranha, who produced the Brit’s high-performance kayaks.
The company wrote at the time: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce an accident involving Bren Orton.
“While kayaking with a group on the Melezza River in Switzerland, Bren became trapped in a recirculating feature and did not resurface.
“Authorities and friends are tirelessly continuing their search efforts, and at this time, Bren is considered missing.”
Bren rose to prominence as a kayaker after his impressive world record in 2018 when he completed the daring descent of Big Banana Falls in Mexico.