Lifeguards search for possible missing swimmer off Newport Beach

Newport Beach lifeguards were searching the water Monday, July 1, for signs of a possible missing swimmer near the Newport Pier.

The report came in at 9:17 a.m. near Tower 24 when a man reported his son, who turned 18 on Monday, missing. The family is in town on vacation from Britain.

The teen was last seen snorkeling near the pier at 7:15 a.m., Newport Beach Marine Safety Chief Mike Halphide said.

“The conditions were so clear and we had so many people out there,” Halphide said. “We’re just keeping an optimistic view at this point.”

The father had been on the pier and saw his son in the water, but lost track of him. He went back to the area where they had agreed to meet at 8:15 a.m., but when his son did not return he notified lifeguards.

The father told officials his son was as wearing a mask and fins and board shorts.

At around 7:15 a.m., lifeguards also received a call from a woman on the beach at 24th Street who said a surfer saw a swimmer or surfer in distress, waving for help, between 24th and 28th streets.

Lifeguards searched that area as well. Surf was small and visibility was clear.

“We’re really kind of at a loss, we hope he’s out there walking around on the beach,” Halphide said.

Lifeguards searched the water from paddleboards with masks and snorkels and from rescue boats. They also searched the beach and pier from trucks.

The Orange County Sheriffs Harbor Patrol helped with a patrol boat and fire boat and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department helped from the air with a helicopter.

Lifeguards have not initiated a dive search because they have been unable to determine a point last seen to focus the search, officials said.

Searchers had to deal with an added beach crowd of about 70,000 on the sand.

“The holiday crowd … compounds the challenge of being able to find him,” Halphide said. “There’s just lots of people.”