GARDEN CITY – Horry County Police and Beach Patrol officials resumed their search Friday morning for a 13-year-old Maryland boy believed to have drowned off Garden City.
Lt. Darris Fowler with the Horry County Police Department said officials believe the boy's body will be recovered in the next 24 to 36 hours.
On Thursday, searchers, including volunteers, formed a human chain and worked their way through the surf along Garden City Beach after the boy was reported missing.
"There were all kinds of boats and helicopters that started coming and the family came running down here," said Nick Vukovich who was visiting with family from Pittsburg.
"There were several of us being dragged out there just waist deep," said search volunteer Jason Reeder, "you're just worn out from going down, your ears are popping you can't hear anything except your own heart beat, it's all you hear underneath the water."
Searchers also used jet skis to search the area.
The boy was visiting the area with his family from Maryland said Horry County Police Sgt., Robert Kegler.
"There was a group of kids out there swimming just enjoying themselves and some passer by looked at them and thought they may have been in some type of trouble and alerted a life guard and when the kids came out there were seven children accounted for," Kegler said.
The swimmer was last seen at 12:40 p.m. Thursday Kegler said.
Murrells Inlet/Garden City Fire Department Assistant Chief Danny Lussier said his department had boats in the water along with the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office and, at one point, a medical air ambulance.
Those are in addition to Horry County Police Department, Horry County Fire/Rescue, Surfside Beach, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and a boat and helicopter from the US Coast Guard – the boat from Georgetown and the helicopter from Charleston.
The Coast Guard got the call about 1:45 p.m., US Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Bobby Nash said.
The search comes after two girls were pulled from the water Wednesday further north on the coast.
Myrtle Beach Police officials said rescuers were able to pull the children from the surf.
One was treated and released while the younger of the two was flown to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
The rough surf and rip currents are a result of the persistent southeast wind and the new-moon high tide, WBTW News13 Chief Meteorologist Frank Johnson said.
The conditions are expected to improve over the next couple of days, he said.
Count on News 13 to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement