Search Suspended For Swimmer Last Seen Off South Lido Park

The Sarasota Police Department has suspended its search for a 19-year-old who was last seen in distress in the water off South Lido Park, officials said Saturday night.

A 911 call around 6:50 p.m. reported the man had gone under the water and did not resurface.

Sarasota County authorities contacted Coast Guard Station Cortez, which sent a 25-foot response boat to look for the man, identified by Coast Guard officials as Steve Rieser.

Officials from the sheriff's office, Sarasota Fire and Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and a Sarasota County helicopter also joined the search.

But police suspended their search sometime around 9 p.m. due to inclement weather that was moving in, turning the operation over to the coast guard, police spokesperson Genevieve Judge said.

Authorities said the man and a friend were swimming about 50 to 75 yards offshore around 6:30 Saturday when they became exhausted and decided to head back to the beach.

The two became separated, and the man was last seen struggling the water by his friend, who made it to shore, officials report.

Police planned to coordinate a search and rescue to resume 6:30 a.m. Sunday, Judge said.

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