Ocean City crews still searching for swimmer who was swept off boogie board
OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- A 20-year-old man who went missing while boogie boarding off the coast of Ocean City has not yet been found, officials said Wednesday.
(The video in the player above is from previous coverage.)
The swimmer disappeared Tuesday evening near the 10th Street beach after being struck by a wave and failing to resurface.
READ MORE | Teen missing after being swept off boogie board in Ocean City, NJ
Search crews have been working around the clock, using jet skis, drones and a helicopter to scan the water. Chopper 6 footage also showed volunteers forming a human chain in the ocean as part of the search effort.
Witnesses described a chaotic and emotional scene as the man went under.
"Screaming and yelling. They were like, 'We can't find him. We can't find him.' And his one friend ran up here to get the cops," said Mike, who declined to give his last name.
Officials emphasized the dangers of ocean conditions, even when the water appears calm.
"The ocean itself is very unpredictable and powerful. It may look calm. But underneath that rip current may tell a different story," said Diego Sanchez, operations department head at Coast Guard Station Atlantic City.
Ocean City officials said the search will continue on Thursday.
Beachgoers are being asked to avoid the 10th Street beach until further notice.
According to the missing man's father, he is from Exton, Pennsylvania, and is a student at Hofstra University. He had recently finished his semester and traveled to the shore with friends.
