3 Now Likely Dead: More Details After Swimmers Go Missing At Jersey Shore

Four swimmers have gone missing at the Jersey Shore in the past 24 hours, and only one has apparently survived. The Coast Guard called off a search for two missing swimmers off Atlantic City on Friday.

“We would like to extend our sympathies to the families and loved ones affected during this very difficult time,” said Capt. Benjamin Cooper, commander, Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay.

In Belmar, a 13-year-old girl has died and another was rescued but remains on life support after "becoming distressed" Thursday in the ocean water, according to officials.

Read more here: More Details After Elementary School Girl Dies, Pulled From Ocean In Belmar

In Atlantic City, police say the search for two missing teen swimmers in the ocean was a "recovery effort" on Friday, meaning they did not survive.

Authorities identified the swimmers as Kaliy-ah Hand, 16, of Atlantic City and Ramon Quinn, 15, of Pleasantville. Both were reported missing off the beach at Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.

Witnesses reported seeing two people struggling in the water, Atlantic City Beach Patrol Chief Steve Downey told The Press of Atlantic City. The riptides pulled Hand under the water, and the boy was pulled under when he went looking for Spence.

First responders resumed the search Friday morning after efforts were suspended at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. But the Coast Guard, in addition to state and local first responders, then suspended the search for the two beachgoers at 11 a.m., Friday.

The Coast Guard said it began its search when watchstanders in Philadelphia were notified that bystanders saw two people struggle in the water and fail to resurface at approximately 7 p.m., Thursday.

The Coast Guard responded by searching with an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Air Station Atlantic City, two 29-foot response boats, as well as a 47-foot Motor Life Boat from Coast Guard Station Atlantic City, according to a guard news release.

The guard also had the 154-foot Lawrence Lawson, a fast-response cutter based out of Cape May that searched throughout the night, according to the release. Also searching were members of the New Jersey State Police Marine Services, a New Jersey State Police helicopter crew and the Atlantic City Police and Fire Department.

“My heart goes to the family (of the boy),” Dirk Spence, Kalia's father, told The Press of Atlantic City. “That little guy was a hero. He will always be a hero in my book. It’s a tragedy. Let’s all come together, no matter good or bad, we can make it through.”

Search crews used jet skis and others waded near some rocks as they searched for the teens in the water off the Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard beach, with nearly 100 people watching, according to NBC10 Philadelphia. The fire department, Coast Guard and state police were all dispatched to help in the search, and crews scanned the water for hours.

“The beach patrol left at 6 p.m. Normally we don’t have people going back in the water. It was a cool day. It was windy, (and) the water was cold," Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian told The Press as 100 people watched the rescue.

Here is a video on the tragedy in Belmar:

YouTube video/photo of Belmar