The U.S. Coast Guard is currently conducting a search for a missing U.S. Marine who was last seen swimming at a beach in Puerto Rico. The incident occurred during a high surf advisory, adding to the urgency of the situation.
Samuel Wanjiru, 26, encountered trouble while swimming in the beach area of La Pared in Luquillo on Wednesday afternoon. The U.S. Coast Guard, which is participating in the search operations, reported the distress situation.
According to the Coast Guard, the individual from Massachusetts was on a family trip to the island.
According to the Puerto Rico Emergency Management Bureau, a 26-year-old man was carried away by strong currents.
The search for the man continued on Thursday, with a dedicated team utilizing a range of resources, including divers, boats, jet skis, helicopters, and drones, according to the agency.
The Coast Guard has issued a warning to beachgoers and boaters in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands about the dangerous conditions caused by high surf and life-threatening rip currents. These hazardous conditions are expected to persist throughout the weekend.
“This month has seen a tragic increase in beach drownings in Puerto Rico,” emphasized Capt. Jose E. Díaz, the commander of U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan. In a statement, he urged both locals and visitors to be extremely cautious of weather conditions and heed the warnings issued by the National Weather Service. Díaz emphasized the importance of refraining from entering the water along the west, north, and eastern coasts of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands until conditions improve.”
On Wednesday, there was another incident where a man in distress was found in the water off Montones Beach in Isabela. Unfortunately, he was recovered unresponsive and was later declared dead by the Coast Guard.
Díaz issued a warning about the lack of lifeguards at the majority of open ocean beaches in Puerto Rico.
“We must recognize the gravity of the situation, as it is imperative to restrict our capacity to effectively respond to search and rescue missions using surface vessels. Doing so would only put our teams and resources at greater risk,” he emphasized.
