A young man last seen swimming off of the eastern end of Rockaway Beach in Far Rockaway, Queens, has been missing since early Friday evening.
Police responded to a 911 call at 6:13 p.m. for a 22-year-old man last seen in the water near Beach 20th St. and Seagirt Blvd.
The initial search for the swimmer included the NYPD Harbor Unit, Emergency Service Unit, Scuba Unit and Aviation Unit.
As of Saturday morning, two scuba teams were actively searching for the man.
The swimmer disappeared as thunderstorms were hitting the New York City area throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
Gothamist reported that the man is originally from the African country of Niger and that day had taken only his second day off from work in two years. Police have not yet confirmed his identity.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Rockaway Beach is known to have a treacherous undertow, earning the reputation as the city’s “deadliest beach.”
Five days earlier and 4 miles west of where the swimmer went missing Friday evening, on July 20, a man’s body was found floating off of Rockaway Beach near Beach 97th St. and Shore Front Parkway.
Police believe he is likely a swimmer who disappeared in the waters there two weeks earlier. However, the man’s face had decomposed, so his identification by the city’s medical examiner was pending.
As of Saturday evening, a police spokesperson did not have information on whether the body had been ID’d yet.
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