Georgetown County officials release identification of man who fell into Waccamaw River

Officials have been searching daily for a man who fell into the Waccamaw River Nov. 23 in Pawleys Island and police released his identity Friday.

Karim Rafi Huhammad, 53, from North Charleston, has been missing since Nov. 23, according to the Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office.

Rescue workers near Pawleys Island continue to search for Huhammad, who fell into the river while working on a floating dock in the Hagley Estates neighborhood.

The Georgetown County Sheriff’s Office, along with Midway Fire and Rescue and the U.S. Coast Guard, have had several boats in the water since last week searching for the missing man.

Georgetown officials requested assistance Monday from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to continue with the search, according to Carrie Cuthbertson, with the sheriff’s office.

Police are also asking the public, boating along the Waccamaw River near Hagley Estates, to keep a lookout for the missing man, Cuthbertson said.

A second man working on the dock was rescued by a neighbor who heard their calls for help. The rescued man said he saw his co-worker waving and shouting before going under the water, and that Huhammad never resurfaced, according to an incident report.

The two men were on a floating dock that was not secured to the stationary dock on which they were working. The floating dock was pulled away by the strong current, and when both men tried to hold it to the stationary dock, they fell into the water, authorities said.

This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Georgetown County officials release identification of man who fell into Waccamaw River."