Search Called Off For Fort Collins Teen Swept Out To Sea
By Joel Hillan
FORT COLLINS, Colo. (CBS4)- The United States Coast Guard suspended its search for the body of 17-year-old Samuel Allen Thursday morning.
The Fort Collins teen disappeared Wednesday while body boarding off the Oregon coast.
His father, Robert Allen, 50, died attempting to rescue him.
Samuel had just finished his sophomore year at Rocky Mountain High School.
The family says they are shocked by the news, which started Wednesday with Samuel's disappearance, the death of his father who went to rescue him and then Thursday morning when crews called off the search for Samuel altogether.
The original call came in to dispatchers at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. Samuel's stepmother reported it appeared her stepson had been struggling to get back to shore on his body board and that her husband had entered the waters at Rockaway Beach off the Oregon coast to assist his son and she lost sight of them.
Vicky Gross watched from her nearby condominium as the Coast Guard went to work.
"One of the helicopters lowered its blades down, started spreading the waves out flatter and they dropped a swimmer to the water and then that swimmer emerged and had a busy lifted with him and brought it to the shore."
The Coast Guard said Robert was unresponsive when he was pulled from the waters. Crews began to administer CPR, but were unable to resuscitate him.
The search for Samuel continued until 10 p.m. Wednesday and then resumed for a short time Thursday morning before being called off altogether.
The Coast Guard says there were swells up to eight feet high at the time of Samuel's disappearance.
"One wave starts to take you, unless you really know what you're doing, I don't know if you're coming back," said witness Erik. "A wife lost her husband and son today and just keep them in your thoughts and prayers."
Joel Hillan anchors CBS4 This Morning on weekends as well as reports stories for CBS4 News at 5 and 6 p.m. Follow Joel on Twitter @joelhillan.