Crews recover missing swimmer in Intracoastal Waterway

Crews recovered a the body of a swimmer who went missing Friday afternoon in the Intracoastal Waterway.

Shawn Smith, 36, a homeless man, drowned while attempting to cross the waterway near the Boathouse Bar & Grill, according to Darris Fowler, Horry County coroner.

Horry County Fire Rescue, S.C. Department of Natural Resources and Horry police had divers in the waterway near the Boathouse. The HOrry County Fire Dive Team recovered the body around 8:30 p.m. Friday.

Smith was swimming with two friends, one male and one female, when he went under. He went missing about 4 p.m. Friday.

The swimmers lived in the woods across from the Clarion Hotel and were trying to swim across the waterway to the Boathouse side.

“This water is very treacherous and the current is very strong,” said Lt. Raul Denis with Horry County Police Friday afternoon. “There’s a lot of metal and debris in the waterway too so now we’re in the process of recovering the body.”

More details will be posted as they become available.

This story was originally published July 17, 2015 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Crews recover missing swimmer in Intracoastal Waterway."