Bodies of two children recovered near Chambers Island

OCONTO — The bodies of two young children were located Monday morning near Chambers Island, according to the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office.

The office was notified by the Door County Sheriff’s Office that an unmanned 18-foot Gulf Coast Sailboat was located in the waters off of Chambers Island at about 6:30 a.m. Monday. The bodies of two children, ages 3 and 5, were recovered about five hours later about one mile south of where the boat was located.

Bill Salnik, 32, Little Suamico, and his two children were reported missing at 12:42 p.m. Sunday. Salnik and his children did not make it back to his planned destination nor had anyone been able to contact him since Saturday at about 5 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office.

They were reportedly last seen on Green Island in the Bay of Green Bay. Deputies are working in conjunction with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, United States Coast Guard, City of Oconto Police Department, Oconto County Emergency Management, Marinette County Sheriff’s Office and Dispatch Center, Oconto Fire & Rescue, along with other local public safety partners actively conducting a search and rescue operation to attempt to locate the missing boaters and vessel.

Salnik’s body was not recovered as of presstime.

This is an ongoing situation and no other information is being released at this time. If anyone has any information on this matter, they should contact the Oconto County Sheriff’s Office at 920-834-6900, option 1.