Missing swimmer in North Myrtle Beach found drowned, 24 hours after he went missing
Rescue crews found the body of a swimmer who went missing 24 hours earlier from the North Myrtle Beach oceanfront.
The Horry County Coroner’s Office identified the deceased as 17-year-old Christian Ortega Jimenez of the North Myrtle Beach/Little River area on Friday night. The incident was ruled an accidental drowning, the coroner’s office stated.
The coroner’s office said the victim’s body was found near 46th Avenue North around 3 p.m. Friday.
Emergency responders went to the beach near 14th Avenue South around 3 p.m. Thursday for a possible drowning. Dowling said one person was rescued from the water and crews searched for a man who was still in the water.
North Myrtle Beach and Horry County Fire Rescue crews used jet skis to try and find the man A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter also flew in to help.
Crews stopped searching around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and resumed Friday morning.
