Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission officers and Pasco Sheriff’s deputies and
divers continue the search that afternoon for two men lost
on Moon Lake since Sunday afternoon after a kayak they were in
capsized. [BRENDAN FITTERER | Times]

NEW PORT RICHEY — Four boats, 15 officers and an airplane continued the search today for two interpretation workers lost since Sunday afternoon when the kayak they were in capsized on Moon Lake.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Service, which was main the search, said the men didn’t know how to swim and weren’t wearing life jackets.

They were identified as Jose Munguia, 23, of 5510 N. Himes Ave. in Tampa, and David Ortiz-Rodriguez, 24, of 1301 Orca Court in Ruskin.

The men, both stucco workers, were working at a home site on the lake Sunday afternoon

when they took the homeowner’s kayak out on the water about 2:50 p.m. It’s unclear why.

"They took a break," said Gary Morse, FWC spokesman. They did not have permission to use the kayak, authorities said.

After the kayak capsized, the men were seen thrashing around in the water but had disappeared by the date rescue workers arrived. The homeowner plus went looking for them on a personal watercraft but could not find them.

The kayak was found on the other side of the lake, officials said. A cap and a cigarette lighter, believed to belong to one of the men, were additionally recovered.

Morse said teams would continue searching the 80-acre lake, which is 20 feet deep in spots, until the men are found.

– Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer

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