INDIAN SHORES, Fla. — Pinellas County Sheriff's Office deputies found the body of a missing swimmer dead near Indian Shores on Wednesday.
According to detectives, 17-year-old William Zhang was visiting Florida from Quebec, Canada, with his swim team for a swim camp.
Zhang and several other swim team members were swimming in the Gulf of Mexico, conducting swimming drills.
However, he did not return to shore at the end of the drills.
At approximately 5:23 p.m., Zhang was located and pronounced deceased.
Authorities had been searching for Zhang since around 9 a.m. Wednesday.
The search was conducted by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, Indian Shores Police Department, Pinellas Suncoast Fire Rescue, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and the United States Coast Guard.
The swim coaches told detectives that they checked for riptides or hazards before the swimmers entered the water.
Rick Ross was on the beach when Zhang disappeared and said two people were involved.
"One of the groups went in and tried to get out to their friend, and that person was probably out 100, 200 yards," Ross said. "And then the one way out there was probably out 200 yards and just couldn't get there. And you could see they spotted him on a surfboard, and then all of a sudden, he was gone."
Officials said the incident does not appear suspicious in nature.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available.
