Missing swimmer's body found in New Smyrna Beach

  • Volusia County Beach Patrol officers say the body that washed ashore early Monday morning fits the description of a missing 14-year-old swimmer.
  • Lifeguards search for missing swimmer in New Smyrna Beach -- June 17, 2012
By Jerry Hume, Reporter
Last Updated: Monday, June 18, 2012, 3:28 PM
NEW SMYRNA BEACH -- 

Officials have identified the teen swimmer that went missing Sunday evening at New Smyrna Beach.

A beach patrol spokesman said the 14-year-old's name is Michael Nelson and he attended Ocoee Middle School.

According to the medical examiner's office, the cause of death was not drowning, but asthma.

Earlier, two joggers discovered the missing swimmer's body at 5:45 a.m. Monday on the beach, near the 4200 block of South Atlantic Ave.

The joggers flagged down a Beach Patrol officer, who was nearby, also looking for the teen.

The Orlando boy was found two miles south of where he was last seen Sunday afternoon.

Investigators said Nelson was playing with a group that had traveled to New Smyrna Beach for the weekend.

He was swept away by a strong rip current. His friends were helped to shore by bystanders.

Lifeguards spent three hours Sunday afternoon searching for the teenager.

"A large group of people visiting from Orlando discovered a member of their party was missing, in the surf after his companions got in trouble, and we launched a search with our skis and sheriff's office helicopter,” said Beach Patrol Capt. Jack Driskell. “But visibility and the ocean was just so rough, we weren't able to recover anybody at that time."

Driskell said Nelson was 300 yards from the closest lifeguard station.

The victim's family arrived on the scene around 7 a.m., with distraught looks on their faces.

———————————————

Rip Current Safety

Meanwhile, strong rip currents continue for the workweek. According to the National Weather Service, a high rip current risk is in effect until Monday evening. 

They said the greatest threat for rip currents will be from late morning into mid afternoon.

A beach patrol spokesman said they can try to make announcements and fly the red flag when the threat for rip currents is high, but little beyond that to keep swimmers out of the rough surf.

"Red flag, we do that. We're staffing as many towers as people I have to sit in right now. Any time, any time we see something unfold or developing we intervene with announcements," said Deputy Chief Scott Petersohn.

They are telling beachgoers to swim near a lifeguard and only go into the ocean waist-deep because of the strong current.

Latest Volusia County News