Missing U.S. tourist found dead after being swept out to sea

New Taipei, May 31 (CNA) A 20-year-old American tourist who was swept into the sea by waves at a beach in New Taipei's Gongliao District on Friday was found dead the next day at a nearby beach, local authorities said.

The body of the tourist, who was part of a group of eight students from the same technical institute in the United States, was found at Yanliao Beach around 1:25 p.m. on Saturday, with no signs of life, the New Taipei Fire Department said.

According to Google Maps, Yanliao Beach is about 3 kilometers from the waters off Dongxing Temple in the district, where the tourist went missing on Friday.

The Ruifang Precinct said the body was brought ashore at around 2:10 p.m., and the deceased was later confirmed to be the missing man.

Forensic personnel from the precinct will collect evidence at the scene, and the Keelung District Prosecutors Office will carry out an investigation and an autopsy to determine the cause of death, the police said.

The fire department said Friday it received a report at 5:37 p.m. that three members of a group of eight tourists had been swept off wave breakers by waves.

Witnesses at the scene said the three individuals were about 100 meters from the beach when they were swept away by the waves.

Two were quickly rescued and brought ashore, while the third remained missing, the fire department said.

Police, firefighters and Coast Guard Administration (CGA) personnel conducted a search and rescue operation through the night until the body was found Saturday afternoon, the fire department said.