Swimmer missing in Wrightsville Beach

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — The Coast Guard and Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue spent the evening searching for a swimmer who went missing in Wrigthsville Beach.

According to New Hanover County Dispatch, they received a call around 5:30 this afternoon about a 58-year-old white male swimmer who hadn’t been seen since Tuesday morning.

Wrightsville Beach Police Chief Dan House says the swimmer was last seen by his wife around 10:00 a.m. near Access 33 by the water tower.

House says he started hearing radio activity around 4:30 p.m. and that the Coast Guard and Ocean Rescue were out looking for the swimmer.

According to the Coast Guard, Sector North Carolina watchstanders issued an urgent marine information broadcast and a 45-foot response boat and medium crew launced from Wrightsville Beach at 5:48 p.m. A MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Elizabeth City launched around 7:40 p.m. after a delay due to thunderstorms.

Both Coast Guard crews and Wrightsville Beach ocean Rescue are continuing their search from shore. Officials say the water temperature in the search area is about 81 degrees and visibility is about 10 miles.