The search for two swimmers who went missing from the Virginia Beach Oceanfront on Saturday resumed Monday after a pause due to rough conditions on Sunday.
Red flag conditions remain, and the Virginia Beach lifeguards that are on patrol are warning swimmers in the area of the dangers of swimming at this time. The search area extends from Rudee Inlet to the North End, which police determined based on history, experience and the current weather conditions including tide cycles, a spokesperson said.
The two missing swimmers are Sergio Olcot Ajbal and Sergio Xinico, both 22 years old and from Chesapeake. Police received a report of three men struggling to make it to shore while swimming off of 16th Street shortly before 8:30 p.m.
One of the men was found unconscious in the water about 10 minutes after the initial report came in and was close enough to shore to be pulled in by police and EMS, a police spokesperson said. It’s unclear how the men knew each other.
The man who was found was hospitalized in critical condition as of Saturday night. A police spokesperson was unable to provide an update on the man’s status Monday.
The U.S. Coast Guard suspended their search for the men at noon Sunday after more than 14 hours during which they covered 102 square miles, according to a news release.
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends during this difficult time,” said Capt. Peggy Britton, commander of the Coast Guard’s Sector Virginia. “The Coast Guard is incredibly grateful for the dedication, expertise, and cooperation of all agencies involved in this search. The teamwork displayed by all involved in these challenging conditions demonstrates the unwavering commitment of working together.”
Virginia Beach police and fire departments each had one marine unit in the water conducting the search. Police also have two officers on ATVs searching from Rudee Inlet to Fort Story.
Gavin Stone, 757-712-4806, [email protected]
Source Agencies
