HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—The body of a 15-year-old swimmer who went missing while swimming with a friend in Huntington Beach in late July, triggering a massive search, has been recovered and identified, authorities said Thursday.
Huntington Beach Marine Safety officers found the body at about 10 a.m. Aug. 5, Jessica Cuchilla of the Huntington Beach Police Department said. Orange County Sheriff’s Coroner’s officials identified the body of 15-year-old Aayan Randhawa of Huntington Beach on Wednesday night.
First responders received a call at about 9 p.m. July 28 about the missing swimmer and began a search with lifeguards in the water, on land, and in the air with a helicopter from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, according to Jennifer Carey, Huntington Beach’s public affairs manager. The Coast Guard also joined the search.
Randhawa had gone swimming with another person who got out of the water and realized the boy was missing, Carey said. The location was near Lifeguard Tower 11, between Twin Dolphin and Huntington streets.
There were strong rip currents earlier in the day, she said.
The Coast Guard eventually suspended its search.
“The decision to suspend an active search is never easy and is only made after exhaustive efforts to find the missing person,” said Capt. Stacey Crecy, commanding officer of Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach. “Our hearts ache for his family and friends.”
The search spanned from the Bolsa Chica Wetlands to Newport, with crews searching by air and sea for nearly 20 hours, covering approximately 105 square miles, according to the Coast Guard.
