Body Recovered In Seaside Park Near O Street Where Swimmer Disappeared Wednesday

A body was discovered near the O Street beach in Seaside Park this afternoon, close to where an 18-year-old man disappeared in the surf Wednesday afternoon, Executive Assistant Prosecutor Michel Paulhus said.

"They did recover a body," he said. "They are going to schedule an autopsy to make a positive identification. It was found in the general area where the swimmer was reported missing."

The body was discovered by the New Jersey State Police's Special Operations Section  about 150 yards southeast of the O Street beach, Patrolman Steven Shadiack said.

State Police had been searching the area with a side-scan sonar device towed by a 23-foot patrol boat. State Police Lt. Stephen Jones said.

The body was discovered submerged in 18 feet of water, he said.

"The troopers on that detail are true experts with the side-scan equipment," Jones said. "Body recovery is never pleasant, but the families of the vicitms need closure."

Bestavros Faris, 18, Bayonne, went into the water off the unguarded beach with three other friends around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. All four got into trouble, but Faris was the only one who didn't make it back to shore, Shadiack said.

A resident who lives on O Street saw the four youths on the beach before the incident occurred, Shadiack said.

"He watched them on the beach for a short time," he said. "One stayed ankle-deep. The others went from ankle-deep to waist-high, then chest-high. The wave came. Three went under the water and only two came up. That's how fast it was. It didn't take long to have a tragedy like this."