Coast Guard searching for missing swimmer off South Padre Island

The U.S. Coast Guard Thursday morning continued its search for a missing 17-year-old man in the water off South Padre Island.

Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi command center watchstanders received a notification at 4:12 p.m. Wednesday from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island watchstanders stating they received a 9-1-1 relay of a missing swimmer last seen in the water near Beach Access 5, the federal agency said in a media release.

A Coast Guard spokesperson Thursday morning said the Coast Guard conducted a flight sight Thursday morning but had not located the missing man. They are continuing the search, she said.

The missing man 5-foot, 10-inch tall, approximately 140-pound Latino male last seen wearing black shorts and glasses.

Watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and launched MH-65 Dolphin helicopter and HC-144 Ocean Sentry airplane crews from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi and a Station South Padre Island 33-foot Special Purpose Craft–Law Enforcement boat crew to search for the missing swimmer, Coast Guard authorities said.

South Padre Island Fire Department and Park Rangers also have personnel on scene assisting with search efforts.

Coast Guard officials urge anyone with information that may assist search efforts should contact Sector Corpus Christi at (361) 939-0450.