On Sunday night, a 15-year-old boy tragically vanished after heading into rough waters at Huntington Beach, and search efforts were called off Monday.
The boy, who has yet to be identified, entered the water with a girl. Unfortunately, while the girl returned, the boy was never seen again. The boy was set to be a sophomore in the fall, but has not yet been named by authorities.
According to Daily Mail, teens could be seen consoling one another on the beach, as search efforts picked up, but to no avail. Per authorities, the pair of swimmers had entered the water near Lifeguard Tower 11, south of Huntington Beach Pier.
Rescuers Suspend Search at Huntington Beach for Teen
The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday night that they had suspended the search for the teen swimmer. A helicopter, small boat crew, and an assortment of friends and family had gathered Sunday hoping to find the boy, but tragically, the rescue efforts were unsuccessful.
Coast Guard Captain Stacy Crecy gave a statement regarding the suspension. Capt. Crecy reiterated searches are only suspended after "exhaustive efforts to find the missing person." The suspension of the search marked a sad ends to what was a terrible accident, that certainly left many in the community hurting.
A friend of the victim, named Love Che-Howell, spoke to ABC about the incident. Howell mentioned how "heartbreaking" the news had been, and made note of the chaotic rescue scene upon his arrival to the beach. Howell told ABC "There were helicopters. The whole ocean was lit up. There were lights shining everywhere."
Sadly, the Sunday night's incident is an example of how quickly circumstances can change in the ocean. It was reported that the waves which played a role in the presumed drowning of the victim came on quickly. Moreover, the Coast Guard has since reported waves Sunday had reached 3 to 5 feet in height. Likewise, reports of a strong rip current were made public in the aftermath of the tragedy.
