OCEAN CITY — Authorities continued to search Tuesday, May 19, for a 19-year-old boogie boarder who went missing Monday in the ocean off an unguarded beach.
Cloudless skies and temperatures in the 70s drew throngs to the shore, but the Ocean City Beach Patrol does not begin guarding beaches until Memorial Day weekend.
According to authorities, the Ocean City fire and police departments responded to a swimmer in distress at about 4:52 p.m. May 18 in the area of the 10th Street.
“An immediate and intensive search was initiated. In addition to the fire department’s rescue teams and the police department’s drones, assets were requested from the United States Coast Guard and New Jersey State Police to assist in the search,” police Lt. Dan Lancaster stated in a news release. “At this time the swimmer has not been located and the search remains active.”
Spokesman Doug Bergen said the city would provide updates as any new information becomes available.
At about 5:05 p.m. Monday, the Coast Guard received a report regarding the teen, who was last seen on a boogie board in the surf.
Initial reports stated that two people were in the water on boogie boards about 200 yards from shore. One person was successfully rescued, while the second person remains missing, according to the Coast Guard.
The rescued individual told authorities that he or she saw the missing man lose his boogie board before being hit by a wave and failing to resurface.
Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast, and launched Coast Guard Station Atlantic City as well as Air Station Atlantic City to assist with the search.
The OCBP will begin guarding beaches on Memorial Day weekend. The OCBP guards beaches from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.
From Saturday, May 23, through Friday, May 29, the following beaches will be guarded: St. Charles Place, Brighton Place, 8th Street, 9th Street, 12th Street, 22nd Street, 26th Street, 34th Street, 58th Street.
OCBP Chief Erich Becker advises bathers to swim only at guarded beaches.
The chief also advises bathers to be aware of rip currents when they’re at the beach. A rip current is a strong, narrow current of water that flows away from the shore. The currents form when waves push water toward the beach and the water flows back out through gullies or deeper channels in the sand.
To spot a rip current, bathers should look for areas where the waves aren’t breaking as much as they do in other spots. Rip currents can create areas of choppy or rough water. If the water looks murky, it could contain sediment being carried by the current. Seaweed, foam or other debris floating out toward the ocean can be a sign of a rip current.
Becker said those caught in a rip current should not panic. The currents will not pull swimmers under but instead pull them away from the shore.
He advises bathers not to swim against the current but instead swim parallel to shore to escape the current’s pull.
Swimmers should wave their arms and yell to get the attention of lifeguards or others on the beach. In the case of exhaustion, swimmers should float on their back. Rip currents get weaker farther from shore.
– By CRAIG D. SCHENCK/Sentinel staff
