Body of Wayne County teen swept out to sea is found
By Ethan Smith
Published in News on June 13, 2017 10:17 AM
UPDATE -- Emerald Isle Police Department confirmed that the dead body of 17-year-old Elijah Hinnant of Goldsboro was recovered around 8:05 a.m. today.
The teenager was swept out to sea while swimming over the weekend.
Emerald Isle Police Chief Tony Reese said Emerald Isle emergency services responded to a report of an unidentified floating in the water in the 7700 block of the beach strand at about 7:55 a.m.
"Police, fire and EMS personnel deployed rescue swimmers and a jet-ski and were able to identify and recover the body of 17-year-old Elijah Hinnant, who went missing this past Saturday at 6:08 p.m. on June 10," Reese said during a press conference.
Reese said Hinnant's body was about 1,500 meters from the shore.
The Wayne County teenager entered the water at Emerald Isle Saturday evening but did not resurface.
Hinnant was with 16-year-old Tyreese Worsley also of Goldsboro, Reese said.
Reese said Hinnant went to Emerald Isle with three of his friends to spend the day at the beach.
Hinnant and Worsley were then caught in a rip current while swimming.
Worsley was rescued by a nearby surfer, taken out of the water by rescue personnel and then taken to Carteret County Health Care Center before being flown to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.
Reese said Worsley remains in critical condition.
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for Hinnant Sunday before the body was found today.
"According to the information we received from the family, neither of these young men were strong swimmers," Reese said. "I want to take this opportunity to convey our deepest condolences to Elijah's family and to say our thoughts and prayers are with the families of both these young men."
PREVIOUS STORY: The Emerald Isle Police Department confirmed that the body of the 17-year-old from Wayne County who was swept out to sea over the weekend was recovered this morning.
According to a statement issued by the police department, the body was recovered this morning around 8:05.
Emerald Isle Police Chief Tony Reese will be holding a press conference today at 11:30 a.m. in Emerald Isle to provide additional updates about the case.
The Wayne County teenager entered the water at Emerald Isle Saturday afternoon but did not resurface.
According to a statement issued by Emerald Isle police, both the 17-year-old and a 16-year-old went missing in the 7900 block of Emerald Isle at 6:08 p.m. Saturday.
The 16-year-old was brought back to shore by a nearby surfer, and then taken to Carteret County Health Care Center before being taken to Vidant Medical Center in Greenville.
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search for the Wayne County teen Sunday before the body was found today.
Emerald Isle Police could not confirm exactly which agency recovered the Wayne County teenager's body.
The teenagers' names have not been released.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.