Search suspended for teen caught in surf at Long Beach, WA

The Coast Guard suspended a search for a missing 15-year-old boy who struggled in the surf off Long Beach, Washington.

Crews searched for five hours by boat and helicopter over a 100-mile area Friday evening.

Two others in the boy’s group tried to swim out to him to help, but they also had a tough time trying to swim in the powerful waves and surf.

A Pacific County rescue swimmer launched a jet ski to try to help.

The rescuer made it to the two swimmers who tried to reach the teenager, and got them back to shore.

Medics transported the pair to Ocean Beach Hospital due to possible hypothermia.

The Coast Guard suspended the search for the teen at 12:30 a.m. Saturday.

The first reports of the teen struggling came in to watchstanders at the United States Coast Guard’s Sector Columbia River at around 8:00 p.m.

They received the report from Pacific County’s Dispatch Center.

Crews launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Station Cape Disappointment.

A flight crew from Air Station Astoria also boarded an MH-60 Jayhawk twin-engine helicopter to search from the air.

Officials say Coast Guard crews searched for more than five hours over a 100-nautical-mile section of the coastline.

At the time of the search, weather conditions included winds close to ten miles-per-hour, three-foot waves and water temperature of 54 degrees.

In a statement released by the U.S. Coast Guard, Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator Greg Merten said, “The act of suspending any search, let alone that of a 15-year-old, is something that the Coast Guard does not take lightly and not without a heavy heart.  We would like to thank the swimmer from Pacific County for their heroism and extend our deepest condolences to everyone affected by this horrible tragedy.”