US Marine from Mass. missing off Puerto Rico coast

A search was underway thursday for a Us Marine from Massachusetts who went into distress after going into the water at a beach in luquillo, puerto Rico.

samuel Wanjiru, 26, was visiting the island with his family and ventured into the water Wednesday afternoon, according to a statement by the Us

Coast Guard.

the Coast Guard received a call from a 911 operator reporting that there was a person in distress in the water, and an MH-60t Jayhawk helicopter was launched to look for him, Coast Guard officials said in the statement.

search efforts continued thursday with a forward deployed HC-144 ocean sentry aircraft and MH-60t Jayhawk helicopters from Air station borinquen, the statement said.

earlier Wednesday, a man died after going into the water at Montones beach in Isabela, puerto Rico. After receiving the report of someone in distress in the water, a Coast Guard MH-60t Jayhawk helicopter crew responded to the scene. the man was unresponsive when he was pulled from the water, Coast Guard officials said.

the national Weather service and the Coast Guard are warning beachgoers and boaters about high surf and lifethreatening rip currents.

Captain Jose e. Díaz, commander of Us Coast Guard sector san Juan, urged beachgoers to exercise caution.