PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. – A Canadian teen visiting Florida was found dead on Wednesday evening after an hours-long search, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
In a release, deputies said that they received a call around 9 a.m. about a swimmer who was “carried offshore.”
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Upon arrival, deputies discovered that the swimmer — William Zhang, 17 — had come to Florida from Quebec along with his swim team to attend a swim camp, the release states.
Zhang and other swim team members performed swim drills in the Gulf of Mexico, though he didn’t return to the shore after the drills were over, according to investigators.
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“Per detectives, the swim coaches advised that they checked for riptides or hazards before the swimmers entered the water,” the release reads.
As a result, law enforcement conducted a search for Zhang, and his body was found hours later around 5:23 p.m., deputies said.
The sheriff’s office announced that the incident “does not appear suspicious in nature,” though the investigation continues.
No additional information has been provided at this time.
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