A Beaton family statement read: "We are utterly devastated by what has happened and the loss of our beautiful little boys. We appreciate all that has and is being done by emergency services to find their adoring father, Ewen.
"It is too difficult to say anything more at this time and we would appreciate our family being left in peace to grieve our terrible loss."
Five-year-old Ewen Beaton was a primary one pupil at Teanassie Primary School, near Beauly, which is about 10 miles west of Inverness.
Highland Council said his brother was due to start nursery at the 61-pupil school at the end of the year.
James Martin, chairman of the school's parent council, said: "The school community is devastated by this tragic news.
"The Beatons are a well-known and highly respected family and the impact of their loss will be felt throughout the community."
Both families are thought to be from the Muir of Ord area outside Inverness and took their own canoe on a day trip to the west coast. Locals said the children were wearing lifejackets but the adults were not.
The five-year-old girl was initially flown to hospital in Broadford on the Isle of Skye and was later transferred by Royal Navy helicopter to the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow where her parents are at her bedside.
Local boats were involved in the rescue operation and the five-year-old girl was found by James Cameron, whose family runs the Sands caravan and camping site.
He said he was returning from a fishing trip when he heard the news and joined the search. They found the schoolgirl after around 15 minutes.
She was face down in the water and unconscious and Mr Cameron said that Donny McFarlane, an experienced diver who was with him, tried to resuscitate her before she was picked up by helicopter.
He added: "I have quite a fast boat and we could see people running along the shore. We found the girl close to the shore. I believe the children were wearing lifejackets but the two men were not.
"Everyone locally is very shocked. It was one of the best days of the summer."
Mr Cameron said the group was thought to have been on a trip round the uninhabited island of Longa, and the girl and her father must have had a long swim to the shore.
It was sunny at the time of the accident, with a force five wind, but locals said there were dangerous currents in the sea loch.
A flotilla of local boats is involved in the continuing search, and teams of rescuers and volunteers are scouring the shoreline, but the coastguard said it was now a recovery operation.
Carol Collins of Stornoway Coastguard added: "The weather is less favourable for searching today than yesterday but units have been out searching since first light.
"Sadly at this stage the search and rescue phase has now moved to a recovery mission."
Michael MacLean, a local resident, said he believed the group were day trippers from another part of the Highlands.
He added: "It is normally quite a quiet area but the good weather had obviously brought a few more people out for the day."
Another local said: "The weather conditions were good, very calm. But there are coves and inlets which are difficult to climb out of from the sea if you end up in the water.
"It is a sea loch and it is tidal, and conditions on it can change at a moment's notice. Locals do warn of the under currents in these waters that can take leisure craft by surprise."
A spokesman for Northern Constabulary said: "Inquiries are ongoing into the circumstances surrounding the incident. No further details will be issued until all next of kin have been informed."
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