Canoe tosses 3 men into creek, but only 2 make it to shore, NC searchers say

A weekend canoe trip turned tragic when three men were tossed into a creek and one never resurfaced, according to investigators in eastern North Carolina.

It happened just after noon Saturday in Gates County, and the missing man was recovered dead after a four-hour search, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said in a June 13 news release.

“Three men were paddling a 14-foot canoe on Somerton Creek when the vessel became unstable and turned over tossing the men into the water,” the commission reports. “Two of the men were able to safety reach the shore. However ... 30-year-old Mr. Noel Gutierrez of Newport News, VA, drowned before reaching shore.”

His body was found around 4:45 p.m. with assistance from side scan sonar and underwater drones, officials said. His “immediate family” was at the scene when the body was found, officials said.

“A preliminary investigation shows that no one on the canoe was wearing a personal flotation device (life jacket) at the time of the incident nor was the vessel properly equipped with life jackets,” the commission says.

“This incident highlights the need for all individuals to wear a properly sized and fitted PFD (life jacket) while on the water. Incidents occur quickly and without warning.”

Somerton Creek is about 20 miles long and crosses the state line between North Carolina and Virginia. It is a tributary of the Chowan River.

Gates County is about a 150-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh.

This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 6:39 AM with the headline "Canoe tosses 3 men into creek, but only 2 make it to shore, NC searchers say."