Teen swimmer who vanished off Rockaway Beach throughout NYC warmth wave discovered useless

A teen who disappeared into the waters off Rockaway Beach whereas swimming together with his buddies as a warmth wave gripped town final month was discovered useless almost two weeks later, in line with cops and his household. 

The physique of Brandon Figueroa, 18 was discovered floating close to the shoreline round 5:20 p.m. May 30 at Beach 222nd Street and Rockaway Point Boulevard in Breezy Point, authorities mentioned. 

The grim discovery got here 11 days after Figueroa drifted into the present whereas swimming together with his friends about 8 miles away at Beach 73rd Street and Shore Front Parkway.

In a heartbreaking GoFundMe submit, Figueroa’s mother Jeanette Munoz mentioned her son was swept away due to “a big wave and a strong riptide,” and he couldn’t be discovered regardless of one of the best efforts of the FDNY and NYPD.

“Brandon was a good kid, a senior at The Urban Assembly Bronx Academy of Letters, and was about to graduate next month,” Munoz wrote. “He had plans to attend trade school to become an electrician, and his future was full of promise. Our family is struggling to cope with this unforeseen and devastating loss.”

A witness beforehand instructed The Post the lacking teen was amongst about 5 swimmers who jumped into the ocean as temperatures within the Big Apple soared above 90 levels.

“Five of them went running out, four of them came out, and one of the four was carrying the boy out, literally trying to pull him back in, but how far they were into the water, it swept him out of his hand,” recalled Nemaiah Dos Santos, who couldn’t assist “crying so bad for the boy.”

The witness mentioned the group was “about where the rocks end,” and that almost all waves in Rockaway Beach crash earlier than they get near the shoreline, indicating a steep drop-off. 

The hearth division deployed rescue swimmers, drones, and marine items, however weren’t instantly capable of find the teenager.

The NYPD’s specialised scuba and aviation items later joined the search.