Missing kayakers found in Moon Lake

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

NEW PORT RICHEY -- The bodies of two construction workers lost in Moon Lake when a kayak overturned Sunday were found in the water just after 4 p.m. today.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which led 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, Fish and Wildlife 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 time rescue workers arrived. The homeowner also 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 also recovered.

-- Molly Moorhead, Times staff writer