Body of teenager recovered after being swept away by currents in Isla Verde
Search teams found the body of a 17-year-old on Monday morning after he was dragged by marine currents in Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
PhotoThe short version
- Primera Hora reported a person was swept away by marine currents at Playa Callejón Carolina in Isla Verde around 5:49 p.m. on Sunday
- El Vocero reported the body of a 17-year-old was recovered at 7:30 a.m. Monday by divers from the San Juan Municipal Police Maritime Unit in the Punta Las Marías sector
- The search involved FURA, the U.S. Coast Guard, San Juan Municipal Police and the Emergency Management Bureau according to both outlets
- El Vocero reported high surf and currents remain a risk with waves of 8 to 12 feet until Tuesday morning per the National Weather Service
Recovery after ocean currents incident
A person was swept away by marine currents at Playa Callejón Carolina in Isla Verde on Sunday afternoon. Primera Hora reported that emergency services received a 9-1-1 call at about 5:49 p.m. on Oct. 25 alerting authorities to the incident. Units from the Maritime Unit of the Fuerzas Unidas de Rápida Acción, the U.S. Coast Guard and the Emergency Management Bureau responded to the area.
El Vocero reported that the body of a 17-year-old was found around 7:30 a.m. on Monday by divers from the San Juan Municipal Police Maritime Unit. The search had continued overnight and into the morning, focusing on the beaches of Ocean Park and El Condado, with support from FURA, San Juan Municipal Police and U.S. Coast Guard helicopters. A relative of the teenager tried to rescue him but was unable to due to the currents.
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Ongoing marine hazards
El Vocero reported that marine conditions continue to pose risks to swimmers and boaters because of breaking waves that could reach between 8 and 12 feet. The National Weather Service issued a high surf advisory that remains in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The same outlet quoted the National Weather Service as saying “El oleaje y las corrientes marinas ponen en riesgo a navegantes y bañistas”. Search operations involved personnel from the Negociado para el Manejo de Emergencias y Administración de Desastres.
Where the sources differ
Both Primera Hora and El Vocero agree that the incident occurred around 5:49 p.m. Sunday after a 9-1-1 call about a person swept by currents at Playa Callejón Carolina in Isla Verde, and that FURA, the U.S. Coast Guard and emergency management personnel responded. El Vocero alone identifies the victim as a 17-year-old, gives the recovery time of 7:30 a.m. Monday by San Juan Municipal Police divers, names the Punta Las Marías sector, mentions a relative's rescue attempt, continued overnight search in Ocean Park and El Condado, Coast Guard helicopters, and the high-surf advisory with 8-to-12-foot waves. Primera Hora described the victim only as a man or person and did not mention the recovery or marine warnings.
What the reports do not say
The reports do not state the cause of death, whether the teenager had any underlying health conditions, the exact water depth or distance from shore where he was found, or any plans for an autopsy or further investigation by authorities. They also do not indicate whether beach warnings or lifeguard staffing were in place at the time of the incident.
Sources
Every link below was opened and checked when this story was published. Official means a government body, agency or the organization itself; Reporting means a news outlet.
- Reporting Buscan a hombre arrastrado por corrientes marinas en Isla Verde
- Reporting Rescatan cuerpo de adolescente de 17 años arrastrado por corrientes marinas en Isla Verde
How we checked this
Primera Hora first reported the disappearance on Monday morning while El Vocero provided the update on the body recovery, victim age, search details and marine warnings. The age, recovery location and surf advisory rest solely on El Vocero.
Compiled by the PuertoRico.com News Desk from the reports and statements listed above, and checked against them before publishing. It does not include original interviews. Spot an error? Email support@puertorico.com with a link to this story.
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