Search Continues for Swimmer Who Disappeared Off Huntington Beach

Helicopters and lifeguards Saturday continued the search for an 18-year-old Mexican tourist who disappeared in the surf at Huntington State Beach and is feared drowned, authorities said.

Patrick Lyons, lifeguard supervisor for the state Department of Parks and Recreation, said police helicopters from Huntington Beach and Newport Beach were flying low over the area in an attempt to find the man, who disappeared shortly before noon Friday.

“We have about six to eight (lifeguards) looking now, and then another six are coming in for the night shift,” Lyons said. “Our first priority is to locate the missing person. We have been in touch with the family and spent quite a lot of time with them.”

Lyons declined to identify the missing man, other than to say he is a tourist from Mexico who had been visiting relatives in Los Angeles. He said the man had come to Huntington State Beach on Friday to spend the day.

“It is real sad,” Lyons said. “The family is fairly distraught right now, as you can imagine. We have maintained the search and will continue to do so until we find something.”

Lyons said the man was swimming with two women when he disappeared.

“They came to the (shore) and immediately reported him,” Lyons said. “The lifeguards were down on the beach and immediately began a search. They called out everyone else.”

The helicopters searched Friday afternoon to no avail and resumed the search Saturday. Scuba divers also searched in vain Friday.

At the time of the incident, Lyons said, the inshore current was running at about 5 m.p.h.

“It’s always dangerous,” he said. “We always tell people they can drown in a glass of water. It is dangerous every day out there.”

If the man did drown, Lyons said, his body would probably wash up on shore at some point south toward Newport Beach.