Body of missing Chicopee kayaker recovered from Connecticut River
HOLYOKE, Mass. (WWLP) – The body of 27-year-old Niklas Delisle of Chicopee was recovered from the Connecticut River following an intensive, multi-agency search that spanned more than a week, authorities confirmed on Friday.
Family of man missing in Connecticut River receive community support as search continues
Delisle had been missing since May 19, when the kayak he and his girlfriend were in capsized on the Connecticut River in Holyoke.
The incident occurred on Monday, May 19th, when Nicklas was out with his girlfriend on the Connecticut River, and their boat capsized. A fisherman saw the couple struggling in the water and went to help, but was only able to save Nicklas' girlfriend, whom he was with when he went missing.
A wide-ranging search operation drew resources from multiple law enforcement and emergency response agencies across western Massachusetts. The Hampden County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol Unit recovered Delisle's body as part of a coordinated effort involving the Western Massachusetts Regional Dive Team, Massachusetts State Police, and numerous local fire departments.
'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni in a statement. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.'
Sheriff Nick Cocchi also expressed his gratitude to all responding agencies and emphasized the ongoing nature of search efforts on the river. 'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River. We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle. But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.'
Crews are still looking for 26-year-old Daniel Callahan, who also went missing in the Connecticut River back on March 9th, and an unidentified individual from Franklin County. Eight boats, drones, and a helicopter have been utilized to scour the river and its surrounding areas.
The incident remains under investigation by the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Hampden District Attorney's Office.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Body of Chicopee kayaker recovered from Connecticut River
The body of a Chicopee kayaker has been recovered from the Connecticut River in Holyoke following an extensive search. According to the Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni and Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi, the body of Niklas Delisle, 27 was located on Friday. Delisle went missing on May 19 after the kayak he and his girlfriend were in capsized. She was rescued that night. 'This is a tragic loss, and we extend our deepest condolences to the Delisle family,' said Gulluni. 'We appreciate the professionalism and compassion shown by everyone involved in the search and recovery efforts.' A fisherman saw the couple struggling and went to help, but was only able to save Delisle's girlfriend. 'I am thankful that we, along with all our law-enforcement and first responder partners, were able to bring closure to one of the families on the Connecticut River,' Cocchi added. 'We send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Niklas Delisle. But we will remain on the water searching for Daniel Callahan in an attempt to bring his family some peace.' The incident remains under investigation. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
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