DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Two drownings in less than 72 hours along Volusia County beaches prompted renewed safety warnings from officials after the body of a 17-year-old Orlando teen was recovered Saturday following a more than 12-hour search.
The body believed to be that of Amareon Anthony, 17, was found near the Main Street Pier after he went missing Friday evening, according to the Volusia Sheriff’s Office.
“Unfortunately, this morning at 9 a.m., a 17-year-old male washed up on the beach. A drowning victim,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said.
Officials said Anthony entered the water around 7:30 p.m. Friday before being caught in a rip current. A search began immediately and continued overnight.
Daytona Beach Safety units, including jet skis, assisted in the search along with the U.S. Coast Guard.
Beach safety officials said a lifeguard saw Anthony and another swimmer struggling in the water before they disappeared.
“He noticed two people struggling down here in the rip current. They found the female and they brought her and she was treated, transported to the hospital,” said AJ Miller of Daytona Beach Safety.
Officials said the female swimmer was rescued and transported to a hospital.
Crews searched through the night Friday without success and resumed Saturday morning before recovering the teen’s body.
A beachgoer described the incident as devastating.
“Heartbreaking. A 17-year-old lost his life. It’s terrible,” the beachgoer said.
The death marks the second drowning along Volusia County beaches this weekend.
The Volusia Beach Safety Patrol said a 60-year-old man was found dead on Friday.
“This is our second drowning victim of the weekend already. We had one on the second that occurred a little further north. Same thing. Somebody went into the water after hours. Rip current,” Mike Chitwood said.
As the Fourth of July holiday weekend brings large crowds to Florida beaches, officials are urging swimmers to remain cautious and only enter the water near lifeguards.
“You have to use a little common sense. When the lifeguards are off duty, please don’t go out there. It’s just not safe,” Chitwood said.
Officials also reminded beachgoers that anyone caught in a rip current should remain calm, conserve energy and swim parallel to shore until free of the current.
The incident remains under investigation.