Crime & Safety
Report Of Distressed Swimmer Off LBI Was False Alarm: USCG
A bystander saw a surfer and thought they were a swimmer in distress, officials said.
BEACH HAVEN, NJ — A search for a distressed swimmer off Long Beach Island's Brant Beach ended up being a false alarm Wednesday evening, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. Officials searched for about 90 minutes before realizing everyone was safe, USCG spokesperson Corinne Zilnicki told Patch.
"Somebody who lives about two blocks off the beach was looking out with binoculars," said Zilnicki, Petty Officer 2nd Class. "They saw a surfer, and they thought that they were a swimmer in distress."
The bystander contacted local officials with reports of a distressed swimmer. The Coast Guard and several police and fire departments searched for about 90 minutes. Then they realized the bystander called in about the surfer, who wasn't in danger, Zilnicki said.
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