New York State Police said two men from Senegal were found frozen to death in the snow in a forest area near the Canadian border.

The bodies of Abdullah Nidawi and Ndongo Sari, both from Dakar, aged 25, were found on Monday in the border town of Mooers

The state police also said in a statement on Thursday that a Border Patrol agent was conducting a routine inspection in the forest when a dog discovered one body
under the snow, then discovered a second body

The authorities did not explain why they believe the two men were in the forest, despite the fact their bodies were found in a rural area of northern New York that has become increasingly popular for people attempting to cross illegally into the United States from Canada on foot.

Autopsies determined the cause of death was hypothermia due to exposure to a cold and wet environment. State police are investigating the incident.

In December, the body of a 33-year-old woman was found in a river in northern New York after crossing the border.