What to Know
- Authorities have suspended their search for two teen swimmers who went missing while swimming off Rockaway Beach in queens Tuesday afternoon
- First responders rushed to the Queens shoreline around 3:30 p.m. after getting calls of two teens who had gone missing
- A third teen was saved by surfers, but authorities had to call off the search for the other two due to rough waters
The search for two teen who went missing while swimming off Rockaway Beach in Queens Tuesday afternoon turned into a recovery effort on Wednesday.
First responders rushed to the Queens shoreline around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday after getting calls of two teen boys who had gone missing after heading into the waves. By the time they got there, a third teenager had already been pulled out by nearby surfers who coordinated a group effort to rescue the panicking teen.
“We could hear help like a very panicky stressed call for help,” said Liz Winer, who helped get the boy to safety. “I don’t think I’m going to forget the panic in his voice, he was scared for his life.”
Another surfer said they got the boy on a surfboard and used the waves to get him back to shore.
As the surfers were able to save him, crews were working to locate the other two teens who ventured out into the water, but didn’t come back in.
After about 90 minutes of searching, FDNY officials had to pull their divers out due to very rough waters that made searching very difficult.
Families and friends for the two still missing, 15-year-old Victor and 16-year-old Gabriel, came to Rockaway Beach Tuesday night hoping to get some sort of update, but were left without answers.
