Missing teen still not found — search scheduled to be called off today

Pago Pago, AMERIAN SAMOA — The Faga'itua High School student who went missing in the waters of Tula village over the weekend is yet to be found.

This past Saturday and Sunday, the American Samoa Department of Homeland Security – TEMCO issued bulletins to recruit volunteer divers to help in the search efforts.

This is in collaboration with the Dept. of Public Safety and the Dept. of Marine and Wildlife Resources (DMWR).

The search and rescue efforts were ongoing throughout the weekend and as of press time yesterday, the body of the missing 16-year-old boy — a high school junior — was yet to be recovered.

Samoa News understands that the teenager had gone out to rescue his younger siblings who had been caught in a riptide.

A photograph of the teen's mournful mother standing at the coastline, looking out to the ocean, has netted a lot of encouraging words and sympathy on social media. Family members and friends are posting messages of condolences to the family of the missing boy.

According to a report in Radio New Zealand News, the search is scheduled to be called off today.

Please contact the EOC at 699-0411 for details on the request for volunteer divers.

The public is advised to report any sighting or any information related to the missing swimmer to the ASHDS-TEMCO at 699-3800.