MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida teen is still missing after an evening swim over the weekend as the rescue effort continues.
On Monday, friends and family identified the missing teen as 19-year-old Victor Castaneda.
Castaneda was last seen on Saturday, just off South Point Beach.
“I’m just devastated,” said the teen’s father, Victor Castaneda Sr. “There’s not much to say.”
According to his sister, she was with him that evening at around 6 p.m., when a group went into the water and found themselves in trouble.
Marcus Pearson, a witness who works in the area, was on the beach that night when someone ran to him looking for a lifeguard.
“I heard screaming, but I think the people they were with on the shoreline didn’t know they were in trouble,” Pearson said. “And he said a bunch of us went into the water, and somebody didn’t come back out. There was a young lady that was part of the group, and she was screaming, ‘Where’s my brother? Where’s my brother? He didn’t come back out. Where is my brother?’ So at that point, we knew there was somebody still missing in the water.”
Crews spent Saturday night and Sunday searching for Castaneda in the water and from the air, but they weren’t able to find him.
Miami Beach Fire Rescue crews were back on the water on Monday, and crews also kept an eye on the shoreline.
The missing teen’s sister posted a video from her brother’s 19th birthday and wrote, “I love you, until we meet again.”
“I do know that my little brother was in the water with my little sister, and he saved her life,” said Chloe Castaneda, Victor’s older sister. “And he is a hero. He is a hero. He was a great kid; he was very pure. I was very proud of him. He was a pure bundle of joy; he was a goofball. He was so selfless.”
His family heard someone tried to save him, and for that, they are thankful.
“Whoever tried, I thank you,” said Chloe. “Whoever tried, a lot of people would not have gotten in that water, because a lot of people are selfish. And you, you are not selfish. And I thank you for trying.”
Rescue crews have been searching the water for Victor every day since Saturday night. His family members are still hoping that he will be found, asking for boaters to keep an eye out.
“If you’re out in the water, keep your eyes open,” said Victor Senior.
“I just want anyone who’s out on a boat right now just to look and make sure you keep your eyes peeled for my little brother,” said Chloe Castaneda. “This is the hardest thing I think anyone has to deal with right now. It’s not knowing.”
“Just keep a lookout. You know what I mean? Please do that for us,” said William Espinosa, Victor’s uncle. “Just put the message out there so people keep their eye open. It’s crushing. He’s only 19 years old, you know what I mean? Nobody deserves this. To all my fishing buddies out there, to the fishing community, keep your eye out.”
Crews from Miami Beach, Miami, Miami-Dade, and the U.S. Coast Guard all joined this search.
Castaneda is still considered a missing person.
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