The search for a missing Long Island swimmer ended, the U.S. Coast Guard said.
A 30-year-old swimmer from Brooklyn, Neil Gibbons, was seen with friends in the waters off Long Beach near Long Beach Boulevard at 2 a.m. on Monday, said the Coast Guard. He was wearing a beige swimsuit, NBC New York reported.
It comes about a week after a 10-year-old boy went missing in waters off Long Island.
Friends of Gibbons were able to make it to shore and notified local authorities, the Coast Guard said.
“After searching extensively throughout the night and daylight hours, in coordination with our partner agencies, we have made the difficult decision to suspend our search,” said Cmdr. Andrew Ely, chief of the Coast Guard response, according to Newsday.
Officials said the water was rough, forcing them to search via boat and air.
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“It was very bad last night,” said Paul Gillespie, the head lifeguard at Long Beach. “No one should have gone in last night, especially with no lifeguards there, which we have that problem, unfortunately.”
The Coast Guard said in a statement that it is calling on “swimmers to always swim in areas where lifeguards are present. The ocean is powerful and can overtake even the best swimmers,” the New York Post reported.
The 10-year-old boy was identified as Ramel McCrae, and he went missing off Ocean Beach Park near Edwards Boulevard, according to the Post. He was swimming with his 11-year-old brother without supervision.
The body of a child was found in the waters of Long Beach on Sunday. Officials are working to determine if it is McCrae.
Police said that the identity of the body won’t be disclosed until the medical examiner’s office makes an official designation, Newsday reported.
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