Boy, 13, Missing After Riptide Catches Him

A 13-year-old boy was swept into a strong rip current while swimming in the ocean Saturday at Manhattan Beach and had not been found by nightfall.

The teen-ager, whose name was not released, was pulled underwater by the tide, said Los Angeles County Lifeguard Lt. Bob Moore. A lifeguard who was on the beach between 1st and 2nd streets spotted the teen-ager, but the boy went under before the lifeguard could reach him, Moore said.

Authorities began searching for the youth about 3:20 p.m. but suspended their effort when it got dark. They planned to resume today.

Lifeguards have been warning swimmers of treacherous conditions for the past few days. In Manhattan Beach, waves Saturday were five to seven feet high, and the water temperature was 59 to 60 degrees.