Body Of Missing Swimmer Found Off Smith Point Beach

SHIRLEY, NY – The body of a swimmer who went missing off Smith Point Beach Sunday evening has been found, Suffolk Police said.

The body of 19-year-old Jevoney White was discovered about 20 feet offshore by a Suffolk County park ranger on the east side of the Old Inlet Breach on Fire Island at 6:40 a.m., police said.

White, of Springfield Gardens, Queens, went into the water with a group of friends at Smith Point Beach Sunday at about 6:45 p.m. and did not return.

The Suffolk County Police Marine Bureau, Aviation Section, Seventh Precinct officers, personnel from South Country Ambulance, the United States Coast Guard, Suffolk County Parks police, Suffolk County park rangers and officials from Fire Island National Seashore searched overnight for White.

White's body was transported to the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.

The investigation is continuing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6394.

White's friends initially notified local lifeguards and park police that their friend swam out off the beach and didn’t return, according to the Coast Guard.

"He had his hands in the air and he was trying to gasp for air," John Rankin, a witness, told NBC 4 of the swimmer. "Then a wave had taken him under and I looked around and started panicking."

There are no lifeguards on the beach at Smith Point after 5:30 p.m. White had been swimming with his girlfriend when he was pulled under, PIX 11 reported.

There was a high rip current risk at all ocean-facing beaches on Long Island Sunday.

In an unrelated incident, a 24-year-old woman was found dead after she went missing early Sunday while swimming off the Jersey Shore.

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