The kayak overturned on the Trinity River south of Lake Livingston Dam, officials said.
COLLDSPRING, Texas — Two teenagers died and a 53-year-old man remained missing Monday after a kayak flipped on the Trinity River in San Jacinto County on Sunday evening near the Camilla boat ramp, according to authorities directing an ongoing search.
Officials said the boys, ages 14 and 15, were in a kayak when choppy water tipped the vessel. The father of one of the boys went into the river to help but did not resurface. Recovery crews found both teens Sunday night and suspended the effort for the adult at nightfall, resuming at first light Monday. The operation drew units from multiple agencies on both sides of the river below Lake Livingston Dam, where currents are fast and water levels can fluctuate. The search remained a recovery mission as night approached Monday, with crews planning to return Tuesday.
Witnesses told deputies the kayak overturned quickly as the river chopped and swirled below the dam. Responders converged on the Camilla boat ramp south of the structure after calls came in Sunday evening about three people in the water. Game wardens recovered the teenagers as darkness fell. “This is an unimaginable tragedy, and our hearts go out to this family,” San Jacinto County Sheriff Sam Houston said in a statement, thanking wardens, deputies and volunteers who worked through the night. By noon Monday, specialized teams had boats back in the water, scanning likely eddies and bends with sonar while ground crews fanned out along the banks.
Texas Game Wardens said the victims were a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old boy and that the adult who entered the water to help was the 53-year-old father of one of them. The boys were recovered Sunday evening by units operating from the San Jacinto and Polk county sides of the river. The missing man did not resurface after jumping from shore, and divers reported limited visibility. The sheriff’s office said identities of one teen and the adult had not been formally released as of Monday afternoon, pending confirmation by the medical examiner and notification of relatives. Family members who gathered near the boat ramp described the boys as classmates, and one parent said the teens had launched a short ride that turned into an emergency within moments.
The search area lies immediately downstream of Lake Livingston Dam, where releases can produce strong, shifting currents and cold, aerated water. Local responders said that stretch sees steady recreational traffic because of easy access at the Camilla ramp and shallow banks that give way to deeper pools. In past incidents on the Trinity, low light and fast spills from the dam have complicated rescues and recoveries, prompting multi-agency responses along both counties’ riverfronts. Neighbors who live near the ramp said sirens approached just after sunset Sunday and the banks remained crowded with trucks and trailers into the night as crews staged equipment and lights.
Officials outlined a day-by-day timeline: calls for help came in Sunday, Nov. 9; by that evening, wardens had recovered the two teenagers and shifted to a search for the adult; the operation paused overnight and restarted at 7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10, with side-scan sonar, drones, divers and bank teams; by 7:15 p.m. Monday, the on-water search was suspended again with plans to resume Tuesday, Nov. 11. The investigation remained open, and authorities said autopsies would be conducted on the teens by the regional medical examiner’s office. No criminal charges had been announced as of Monday, and officials said there was no early indication of foul play.
On the riverbank Monday, relatives embraced under hooded sweatshirts as wind rippled through the trees and rescue boats idled in the current. “The conditions changed in an instant,” said one neighbor who watched crews haul in sonar gear and rope lines. A deputy walked the gravel near the ramp marking scuffs from trailer tires and a thin scrape where responders dragged a skiff into the water. A pickup bed held spare air tanks and a folded body bag. A game warden, speaking briefly before returning to a boat, said the priority was “bringing the father home” and giving the families a measure of closure.
By Monday night, the riverbank quieted except for generators and the steady thrum below the dam. Officials said teams would redeploy at daylight Tuesday to continue the recovery. Updates were expected after morning briefings with county and state agencies. The investigation into the exact sequence of events — and official identifications — remained pending.
Author note: Last updated November 11, 2025.