The search continued this evening for an 18-year-old from West Virginia who went missing while swimming in the Pamlico Sound on Hatteras Island.
The swimmer, a young man from Ripley, West Virginia, was last seen roughly 100 yards from the shoreline at the Canadian Hole in Avon, near the edge of a historically dredged, deep water area, the National Park Service said in a news release.
Beachgoers at Canadian Hole told the Island Free Press the search started at approximately 2 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. Personnel from the Dare County EMS, Dare County Sheriff’s Office, Hatteras Island Rescue Squad, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and the U.S. Coast Guard were at the scene from Kite Point to Canadian Hole as of 3:30 p.m., and both a helicopter and on-the-water vessels are currently involved in the search.
Emergency vehicles may be parked on the sides of N.C. Highway 12 throughout Wednesday afternoon as the search continues. Travelers are advised to use caution and drive slowly, and to watch for emergency vehicles as needed.
The Island Free Press will continue to post updates on the ongoing search as soon as they become available.