Both were Cambridge residents

Another victim of similar drowning incident identified

Vermont State Police have identified the brother and sister who drowned in the Lamoille River near Arrowhead Mountain Lake last week as 11-year-old Yazmin Yupangui and her 25-year-old brother, Sandro Lala, both of Cambridge.

Autopsies completed by the Chief Medical Examiner’s Office determined both deaths were accidental drownings, state police said Monday.

According to investigators, the tragedy unfolded at about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, while members of the family were fishing along the shore near the intersection of Highbridge Road (Route 104A) and Arrowhead Lake Road. Yazmin fell into the fast-moving water, and Lala jumped into the river in an attempt to rescue her. Neither resurfaced.

Search efforts involving numerous local and state agencies continued for several days under difficult conditions following heavy thunderstorms that raised water levels and strengthened river currents.

Members of the Vermont State Police Underwater Recovery Team located Yazmin’s body Thursday evening. Lala remained missing until Saturday morning, when a kayaker discovered his body in Arrowhead Mountain Lake. Troopers and members of the Milton Fire Department recovered him from the water.

The search involved the Vermont State Police Underwater Recovery Team, Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program, Department of Public Safety search-and-rescue personnel, Vermont Fish and Wildlife game wardens, Colchester Technical Rescue, Fairfax Rescue, and fire departments from Fairfax, Georgia and Milton.

Thursday drowning victim ID’d – Police also identified man who died Thursday in the Lamoille River in Fairfax, in an incident similar to Wednesday’s tragedy.

The victim is identified as Robert Coreno, 39, of Fairfax. The Chief Medical Examiner’s Office in Burlington determined his death was the result of an accidental drowning.

Investigation determined the incident occurred when a 10-year-old child fell into the water, and Coreno jumped into the river in an attempt to save her. A neighbor came to the aid of Coreno and the child. The neighbor was able to rescue the child but could not reach Coreno.