Missing Swimmer ID'd As Body Found In Seaside Park

SEASIDE PARK, NJ ? A Howell Township man who had been missing since Sunday evening has been confirmed as the person whose body washed up in Seaside Park on Wednesday morning, Seaside Park police said.

Wilmer Chavez, 31, of Howell, is the swimmer who went missing Sunday in the surf in Seaside Park when several swimmers got caught in a rip current about 6:30 p.m., Sgt. Andrew Casole said.

News 12 New Jersey first reported a body was being recovered Wednesday, after it was seen about 10 feet from shore.

Authorities had been searching for Chavez since Sunday, including with daily helicopter searches. His body was recovered at the G Street beach, Casole confirmed, 11 blocks south of Stockton Avenue where he went missing.

The Sunday evening rescue was one of six that Seaside Park lifeguards and emergency personnel responded to over the Labor Day weekend. There were 14 swimmers total, he said; all of the others survived.

Chavez is the third drowning confirmed by authorities; a 42-year-old man in Belmar and a 22-year-old in Beach Haven died as well on Sunday, amid dozens of rescues up and down the coast. Police, beach patrols and officials have been pleading with people to stay out of the water unless lifeguards are present because of the intensity of the rip currents.

The Ocean County Sheriff's Office issued an alert Wednesday morning urging people to not swim where there are no lifeguards present.

"We continue to receive calls for water rescues, especially after hours," the alert said.

On Tuesday afternoon, four people were rescued in Seaside Park ? at the Stockton Avenue beach, where the swimmer went missing Sunday ? after a lifeguard on duty in Seaside Heights spotted them in trouble. Read more: Lifeguard Sees Swimmers In Trouble 6 Blocks Away, 4 Rescued In Seaside