Missing teen swimmer ID'd, Coast Guard suspends search in Ocean City, N.J.

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a 14-year-old swimmer who went missing in the water near Ocean City, N.J.

The teenager has been identified by family as Corinthian Hammond from Hunting Park.

The teen's family tells Action News they rushed to Ocean City from their Philadelphia home in the middle of the night.

The Coast Guard's search was suspended around 4:30 p.m. Monday.

The Ocean City Fire Department and Beach Patrol will continue their search on the coastline on Tuesday morning.

Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the Coast Guard told Action News they were searching a 50 mile square area off the coast.

The Coast Guard and the Ocean City Beach Patrol Rapid Response Team were called in after the teen was first reported missing shortly before 7:00 p.m. Sunday.

Authorities say the victim was with a group of people on a jetty near 9th Street when a rip current swept them into the water.

According to police, the incident happened when lifeguards were off-duty.

Officials say several Good Samaritans went into the water to try and help. But they, too, got caught in the current.

Rescue crews were able to pull 14 people back to shore safely, however the teen boy was not found.

The Coast Guard launched two boats and an aircraft. State police went up in the air, as well.

Crews searched into the night Sunday and resumed Monday morning.

The beach was also reopened to swimmers by mid-morning Monday, but beachgoers were still thinking about the missing boy.

"Nobody's really going in the water, people are really concerned today, wanting to find this little boy," said Dawine Darrison of Lindenwold, New Jersey. "I'm not letting my kids get out of my sight."