DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Coast Guard, Daytona Beach Patrol and Volusia County Sheriff’s Office are searching for a missing person in the water Sunday in the vicinity of Daytona Beach.
Missing is Damian Park, a 5-foot-11-inch tall, 22 year-old black male, last seen wearing grey shorts and no shirt.
Watchstanders in the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center were notified of the situation at 3 a.m. The report stated that Park, along with four other friends, had gone to the beach. Park and another friend entered the water to swim where, soon after, Park struggled and yelled for help. His friend reported having Park by the hand but lost his grip and lost sight of Park. The friend exited the water while the others on the beach lost sight of Park.
Sector Jacksonville command center personnel issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast. A 45-foot Response Boat-Medium from Coast Guard Station Ponce de Leon Inlet was launched at 3:27 a.m. A crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater was launched to assist in the search at 4:32 a.m., bringing a Self-Locating Datum Marker Buoy and deploying it on scene.
Crews from VCSO searched with jet skis during morning daylight hours. Daytona Beach Patrol is scheduled to conduct shoreline searches throughout the night.
Boaters with information about the location of Damian Park are urged to contact the Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville command center at 904-564-7512 immediately.
For more information contact the Coast Guard Seventh District Public Affairs Detachment Jacksonville at 305-318-1864.