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Editor: Rod Sullivan
Profession: Maritime Attorney

Category: Safety at Sea

St. Petersburg Times

Search called off for girl pulled off raft by current

PANAMA CITY BEACH - The Coast Guard called off a search Monday for a missing 3-year-old Georgia girl who was caught by a strong current while swimming.

The girl was floating on a raft Sunday with an 18-year-old family friend in a shallow swimming area at St. Andrews State Park when a rough current flipped the raft and pulled both girls into the channel, Petty Officer Shawn McGivern said.

"(The older girl) was recovered by a good Samaritan, but they were unable to locate the child," McGivern said.

The 3-year-old girl's name was not released. Officials said she was from Morrow, Ga.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Navy divers and three helicopters joined the Coast Guard in the search, which extended as far as 11 miles out, before officials called it off around 1:30 p.m.