Search continues for missing 21-year-old swimmer in North Myrtle Beach
Rescue workers say the search continues for a 21-year-old North Myrtle Beach swimmer missing since Wednesday, despite rumors circulating that he has been located.
Two male swimmers, including the missing 21-year-old and an 18-year-old, went into the water near 48th Avenue South on Wednesday at about 8 p.m. The 18-year-old was pulled from the water by responders, but the other man has been missing four days after his disappearance.
Rescue crews on Thursday morning continued to canvass the shoreline from Windy Hill to Cherry Grove. The Coast Guard was aiding in initial patrols for the missing swimmer, but has not been back out since, North Myrtle Beach Fire Chief Billy Floyd said.
“We are just continuing as we have for the past couple of days,” Floyd said, adding that there are no real updates as of Sunday morning on the swimmer’s whereabouts.
North Myrtle Beach Police Officer Patrick Wilkinson also confirmed in a text there are no updates about the swimmer.
Rumors that the swimmer had been found began to surface online on Thursday afternoon. The confusion likely stemmed from the fire department putting up tape “to block people off and create space for the emergency personnel,” North Myrtle Beach spokesperson Lauren Jessie said in a text.
Since then, another swimmer was reported missing on Saturday in Myrtle Beach near the Ocean Front Bar & Grill, which is on the downtown boardwalk.
The Coast Guard posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, late Saturday that it had suspended its search after finding no signs of distress, personal belongings or missing person reports.
Currently, the area is experiencing dangerous rip currents as a result of Tropical Storm Chantal, which made landfall at Litchfield Beach early Sunday morning.
This story was originally published July 6, 2025 at 12:21 PM.
