Search called off for teen who swam at boat launch near Patapsco River

A 17-year-old boy is presumed dead after he went swimming Wednesday with family members near a boat ramp at Stoney Creek, just outside the Patapso River, and did not return .

The 17-year-old, who has not been identified at the request of his family, was on the beach at the Elizabeth Landing Community Boat Ramp in Pasadena, Maryland. He did not return to shore with the others and the Coast Guard was called around 11 p.m.

The crew of a 45-foot medium-sized rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Curtis Bay responded to the scene and a Coast Guard helicopter was deployed to search the area. Emergency responders spent a total of 11 hours overnight and into the early morning searching for the missing teen, even as severe thunderstorms battered the area with winds of more than 39 miles per hour.

The Coast Guard suspended its search for the teen shortly after 9 a.m. Thursday. Anne Arundel County Police and Fire Departments, Maryland Natural Resources Police and the Baltimore City Fire Department are all searching for the swimmer. Dive operations are ongoing.

Coast Guard officials who called off the search said it was a “truly tragic moment.” Commander Rob Concepcion, Chief of Response Operations for Sector Maryland–National Capital Region, said, “We are heartbroken for the family and friends of the missing swimmer. »

Concepcion highlights staff shortages, such as Chesapeake Bay Magazine The report recently noted the situation in other parts of the bay as one of the challenges of this research. “Despite the stormy weather and lack of Coast Guard personnel at this time, numerous crews have been combing the area in hopes of returning the swimmer safely. »

The teen's presumed death is the latest in a series of water-related emergencies over the past week, as a heat wave held much of the Bay Area in its grip. A 64-year-old woman riding on the back of a personal watercraft nearly drowned in Ocean City on June 22, and a search was underway for a missing boater on the Elk River earlier this week.

Natural Resources Police say whether you beat the heat by swimming from shore or sailing on the bay, open waters hold hidden dangers like currents, depth changes and limited visibility.

We will update these developing stories as we learn more.