INDIATLANTIC, Florida – The  Brevard County Sheriff’s Office suspended a multi-agency search effort for a missing swimmer who was last seen off of the Indialantic Boardwalk on Friday afternoon.

One swimmer was rescued, but the 18-year-old man from Orlando, Florida remains missing despite a search that covered 106 square miles by the U.S. Coast Guard, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office,

“We offer our deepest sympathies to the family,” said Lt. Rian Ellis, search and rescue mission coordinator at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville. “Suspending a search is one of the most difficult decisions we have to make as first responders and it is never made lightly.”

The man was presumed to have been caught up in a rip current.

This is the third swimmer who has drowned off of Indiatlantic in less than a month:

A 17-year-old boy was found deceased in the ocean off of Wave Crest beach in Indiatlantic on Monday, February 27, 2023.

On February 19, a 24-year-old man from Osceola County became unresponsive in the ocean approximately 100-200 yards east of Wave Crest Avenue.

Rip currents are powerful channels of water flowing quickly away from shore, which occur most often at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and in the vicinity of structures such as groins, jetties, and piers.

Remember to swim near a lifeguard and do not swim alone. Ask the beach patrol about ocean hazards when you arrive at the beach.

If you become caught in a rip current – do not panic – but yell for help.

Remain calm and do not exhaust yourself. Stay afloat while waiting for help.

If you have to swim out of a rip current, begin to swim parallel to the shore.

Once you are away from the force of the rip current, begin to swim back to the beach.

Do not attempt to swim directly against a rip current. Even a strong swimmer can become exhausted quickly.