Body Of Missing NJ Swimmer, 21, Found On MD Beach

EDISON, NJ - The body of a 21-year-old swimmer from Edison was found on a Maryland beach Sunday, authorities said.

The swimmer, whose body was reported at around 5:30 a.m. Sunday near 4th Street by a passerby, was identified as Praise Ezechibueze, who went missing Saturday afternoon after he didn’t return from the water, Ocean City police said in a statement.

Rescue swimmers from the Ocean City Fire Department were “immediately” deployed into the ocean for the search effort Saturday at around 3:30 p.m. Ocean City Beach Patrol and members of the U.S. Coast Guard and Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) also helped in the search, police said.

Lifeguards were not on duty at the beach when Ezechibueze went missing as Ocean City Beach Patrol is only set to return to patrols after Memorial Day weekend, police said.

“We would like to remind everyone of Beach Patrol’s motto: ‘Keep Your Feet in the Sand until the Lifeguard’s in the Stand,’” Ocean City police wrote in a news release. “Ocean City is prone to strong rip currents, which can occur at any surf beach with breaking waves.”

Ezechibueze was a 2020 graduate of Edison High School, according to his Facebook profile. The Delaware News Journal also reported Ezechibueze was a junior at the University of Delaware studying medical diagnostics.

The 21-year-old’s body has since been transported to the Holloway Funeral Home in Maryland. Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.