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US Air Force airman goes missing while swimming at Surfside Beach, Coast Guard says

As of 5:54 p.m. Monday, the Coast Guard has decided to suspend the search for Elijah Posana.
Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas — The United States Coast Guard has decided to suspend the search for a man who was last seen swimming at Surfside Beach on Sunday.

Elijah Posana, a United States Air Force airman, was swimming approximately 100-feet from shore when someone reported seeing him being pulled by a rip current.  

"The decision to suspend a search is always an extremely difficult one to make," said Capt. Jason Smith, Sector Houston-Galveston commanding officer. "Every time we run a search and rescue case, we think of the missing as our own and in this case, the missing is a fellow service member which definitely weighs heavily on our hearts. Our deepest condolences go out to the airman's family and friends." 

The Coast Guard said their agency, along with many other search crews, searched over the course of 28 hours, covering approximately 100 square miles.

Involved in the search were:

  • Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston
  • Coast Guard Air Station Houston
  • Coast Guard Station Freeport
  • Coast Guard Cutter Tiger Shark
  • Surfside Police Department
  • Brazoria County Sheriff's Office

Anyone with information is asked to call the Sector Houston-Galveston command center at 281-464-4854.

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