DESTIN, Fl. (BRPROUD) — A 14-year-old boy from Louisiana has drowned off the coast of Florida.
The boy was last seen swimming at Henderson Beach State Park on Wednesday, according to the Coast Guard.
Authorities said friends of the boy witnessed him struggling to swim before he went underwater.
An individual attempted to rescue the boy, but could not get out of the water and lost sight of the 14-year-old, according to the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Search and rescue crews were deployed in an effort to find the boy. Multiple agencies were a part of the search, including the Coast Guard, Okaloosa Sheriff’s County Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and Destin Beach Patrol.
The sheriff’s office said his body was discovered by a beachgoer 1.5 miles away.
“We are grateful for the collaborative interagency relationships that contributed to locating the boy,” said Coast Guard Cmdr. Kara Lavin, search and rescue mission coordinator at Sector Mobile. “Our thoughts are with his family during this challenging time.”