PUERTO PEÑASCO | The body of Northern Arizona University professor Yeon-Su Kim has been found after she and her husband were reported missing during a kayaking trip in Mexico’s Sonora state.
A local fishing boat near Puerto Peñasco found Kim’s body Sunday in the Gulf of California, according to a verified GoFundMe page established to raise funds to aid the search for Kim and her husband, Corey Allen.
“Today was an incredibly sad day,” a Sunday update to the GoFundMe page read. “Earlier this afternoon, a local fishing boat came upon Yeon-Su’s body south and east of Puerto Peñasco. This despite so many incredible efforts by volunteers to search for Yeon-Su and Corey over the last 3 days.”
Kim and Allen were reported missing late Saturday after failing to return from a Thanksgiving Day kayaking trip in Mexico, CNN previously reported.
“We are keeping up the search for Corey, remaining hopeful that we might find him,” according to a Sunday update from the Kim / Allen family, according to the GoFundMe page organizer.
The civil protection agency of the Mexican state of Sonora tweeted a body “with characteristics similar to one of the two missing persons” had been found, but did not identify which.
Northern Arizona University, where Kim was executive director of the School of Forestry, issued a statement Sunday night confirming her death.
“Yeon-Su was an invaluable faculty member in the School of Forestry and esteemed academic leader,” University President Jose Luis said in a statement.
“Her accomplishments and contributions to her academic discipline, our university’s mission, and the broader community were many, and — in consultation with her family and friends — we will find the appropriate time and place to celebrate her legacy of a life well-lived.”
The statement said authorities are still searching for Allen.