Manitoba RCMP say they have recovered the body of one of the two brothers who fell into Nutimik Lake last weekend.

Mounties confirmed the recovery of 10-year-old Maximo Au Ramirez near the shore of the lake on Wednesday at around 7:30 p.m.

The search for 13-year-old Aaron Au Ramirez remains ongoing, and family notifications have been made.

RCMP and search teams had been searching for the boys since July 18, when fast-moving rapids swept them away at Nutimik Lake near Sturgeon Falls in Whiteshell Provincial Park. Members of the Hutterian Emergency Aquatic Response Team (HEART) have also been on scene, as well as volunteers in boats and personal watercraft.

Police have previously asked all boaters in the area to immediately report anything that may help locate the second boy, including clothing, personal belongings, footwear or any other items in the water or along the shoreline that appear out of place.

Family speaks out

The following is a statement given to RCMP by Haidee Ramirez and Roger Au — Maximo and Aaron’s parents:

We are going through horrible and unimaginable pain for our children. What we have gone through is not humanly possible to understand. We are surviving only because of the help of those around us. We have so much gratitude for the people who are helping. The help is so overwhelming that it is hard to understand how a community can be so strong for us and help us so much.

The support of everyone is truly what is sustaining our family.

We want to thank our family, friends, the countless volunteers, the RCMP, Allison and Harry at Nutimik Lodge, HEART, Pinewood Lodge, Turtle Island Aquatic Response, Submerged, Turtle Aquatic Response, our community of St. Emile – both the church and the school – as well as St. Andrew Boboia Catholic Church.

There are so many others that have come to help search or have provided us with hugs, prayers and hope – we thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts.

Please keep our sons, who were always faithful and kind, in your thoughts and in your prayers.

Updated on July 23, 2026 at 1:50 p.m. to add the family’s statement.