Virginia Beach, Va. - Virginia Beach EMS officials say a 14-year-old boy who went missing in the water at 79th Street at the Oceanfront on drowned.
The boy went missing around 2pm on Saturday.
A caller reported to police that the boy had been swimming with friends when he experienced difficulties.
Police say more than 40 personnel participated in the search utilizing four boats, a helicopter and ATVs. A team of lifeguards formed a search line wading through the area while sonars from the boats probed the bottom.
“It looks like it is a calm day, and then this happens, you know you can never take for granted what you got,” says Carter Reid.
The boy, identified as 14-year-old Demonte White of Norfolk, was spotted in the surf near 78th Street at 4:16 p.m.
Police and bystanders started CPR and the boy was transported to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Reid was with his children on the beach when the boy was pulled from the water.
“We talk about how you have to be careful, you have to be absolutely diligent, the ocean can be fun, but it is also a dangerous place,” says Reid.
EMS workers told us they were told the boy was not a good swimmer and he was being watched by his guardian. Police say the guardian also tried to find the boy in the water.
There are no permanent lifeguard stations at 79th street, but lifeguards patrol the area on ATVs throughout the day.
