ANNAPOLIS, Md. — After a five day search, both bodies of the missing Kennedy family members have now been found.
Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean's body was recovered on Monday and the body of her 8-year-old son, Gideon McKean, was found on Wednesday around 1:30 p.m.
McKean and her son are the granddaughter and great-grandson of Robert F. Kennedy.
On Friday night, the family said in a statement that the search for Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean and McKean’s 8-year-old son had shifted to a "recovery" mission.
The Coast Guard said it initially searched for the two canoers last Thursday evening, 10 miles south of Annapolis near Herring Bay, Md.
Maryland State Police notified the Coast Guard that two people were seen struggling to return to shore in a canoe near Herring Bay and not seen again by the person who made the report.
David Mckean, the husband and father of the two Kennedy members, said he had personally tried to call his wife to see where she was when they both went missing. He shared pictures of his family in a heartful and loving Facebook post that he put up Friday evening.
A statement by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend on Wednesday said:
"On behalf of our family, I want to share our heartfelt gratitude to Governor Hogan, Secretary Jeannie Haddaway-Riccio, and the team of more than 50 professionals from the Department of Natural Resources, Anne Arundel, Charles County, and the State Police, who spent these last days searching for our fierce and loving Maeve and Gideon. They have helped us bring some closure to this terrible loss, and our family will always be grateful for their tireless work."
The Coast Guard said an Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin Helicopter aircrew and a Coast Guard Station Annapolis 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew were launched to assist in the search Thursday evening.
Several Coast Guard crews continued to search Friday morning. Members of the Queen Anne County Police Department, Anne Arundel County Police Department, Maryland Natural Resource Police and Maryland State Police are also assisting in search efforts.
Anyone with more information on this case is asked to call Sector Maryland command center at 410-576-2525.