Man, 39, Presumed Drowned

A 39-year-old male swimmer caught in a rip current off the Newport Beach coast was missing and presumed drowned Sunday night after three of his companions were rescued, fire officials said.

The missing man, from San Bernardino, was last seen 150 yards from shore when a wave washed over him.

Two of the rescued swimmers, identified by Newport Beach police as Wesley Dodd, 14, and Mary Windship, 27, both of San Bernardino, were treated at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and released, a spokeswoman said. One had been hyperventilating, the other showed symptoms of asthma complications. A fourth member of the group was helped to shore by another swimmer who happened to be nearby, said Battalion Chief Randy Scheerer of the Newport Beach Fire Department.

The four got caught in a rip current about 100 yards from shore, Scheerer said. A red flag was flying at the lifeguard tower Sunday, signaling dangerous water conditions, and no other swimmers were within 200 yards of the scene, he said.

George Leeper and Nathan Camp, lifeguards stationed at 56th Street and Seashore Drive, received a distress signal at 5:17 p.m., Scheerer said. But it was not until they had brought the two swimmers to shore that they were informed by the victims that one more was still in the water.

A search by nine snorkelers was called off at 7 p.m. Two patrol boats, a helicopter and lifeguard vehicles driving along the shore assisted in the rescue effort.

The search will continue today, Scheerer said.

The missing man is the fourth swimmer to be caught in riptides in the waters off Newport Beach this year. Last month, in separate incidents, a 17-year-old from Santa Ana drowned near Newport Pier, and two siblings ages 10 and 13 were rescued near 24th Street.

“If swimmers find themselves in a rip current, they should swim sideways to get out of it and then into shore,” Scheerer said. “Don’t fight it.”