A motor that broke down during two Whitehorse men's attempt to cross Fish Lake by canoe cost them their lives last weekend.

Dwayne Charlie, 39, and Konrad Llewellyn, 37, were tending nets last Saturday with a 24-year-old woman, who has asked not to be named.

The three canoeists decided to cross the lake in the boat, which had an outboard motor, according to the latest Whitehorse RCMP reports.

The motor gave out during the tragic crossing.

While the trio attempted to restart the motor, they were unable to get it running again.

The canoe then started filling with water, then sank, the woman is reported to have told police.

The sole survivor of the sinking, the woman swam toward the east shore of Fish Lake while the sun was setting.

She spent the night on the shore before going for help, according to police.

The RCMP received a call reporting the missing men at 1:38 p.m. Sunday.

The caller did not see the boat sink, but was relaying information from someone else.

After a land, water and air search of the area, the men's bodies were found in the water at around 3 p.m.

'Attempts to resuscitate the men were unsuccessful,' police say.

'The deceased persons had been in the water for an extended period of time prior to their being located.'

The three boaters were all wearing personal floatation devices when the canoe sank.

The RCMP and the Yukon Coroner's Office are both continuing to investigate the deaths.

While there will not be an autopsy of the bodies, according to chief coroner Sharon Hanley, toxicology tests will be conducted.

Toxicology tests determine whether a variety of substances are present in blood. In this case, the tests will be used 'mainly for alcohol,' she said.