High school student missing at eastern Taiwan beach found dead

Taipei, June 3 (CNA) Coast Guard officers have found the body of a high school student who went missing at a beach in Taitung County's Chenggong Township on Monday afternoon.

The body was found at 10:58 a.m. near the northern reefs of Douli beach, and was confirmed to be the missing student by his family, said Chung Yi-chang (鍾易昌), a division chief of the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Eastern Branch.

The student, surnamed Chen (陳), had gone to the beach with his family and was believed to have been swept away by ocean currents while swimming near the shore.

After receiving a report that he had gone missing at around 4 p.m., a helicopter from the National Airborne Service Corps, seven patrol cars, two patrol vessels and 27 search personnel were dispatched to look for him, according to a statement released Monday by the CGA Eastern Branch.

Local residents also tried to help with the search on their paddling boards and fishing boats, Chung said.

Following the incident, Chen's school offered to provide counseling for its students and said it will step up education on drowning prevention and ocean safety.

Meanwhile, the search continued Monday for Mexican national Diego Dorantes Sanchez, who went missing on Friday at the Dabaisha Beach on Green Island off Taiwan's eastern coast.

His family has posted a message asking for assistance with his search, and offered US$50,000 for anyone who finds him.

He is described to have black, short curly hair and dark brown eyes and was said to be wearing black swimming shorts and a Casio wristwatch.

From the ocean currents, he is thought to have been swept northward toward the Ryukyu Islands, according to the post.