Thursday, March 28, 2024

Body of missing swimmer washes ashore at Fort Fisher one week after disappearance

KURE BEACH — The body of the swimmer who went missing from the area of the Kure Beach Pier was found one week after his disappearance from area waters.

According to the Kure Beach Police Department, emergency personnel were dispatched to the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area Marker No. 14, just after 3 p.m. Tuesday, in reference to a citizen locating the body of a deceased male.

The body has been identified as 25-year-old Maynor Fancisco Cruz Bardalez, the man who went missing from Kure Beach on March 6.

Bardalez, 25, of Wilmington, was one of two people authorities tried to rescue from the waters near the Kure Beach Pier, 100 K Ave. in Kure Beach. Bardalez disappeared from sight, while the other male was pulled to shore by emergency personnel at the scene.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Kure Beach Police, Kure Beach Fire and ocean rescue conducted an extensive search of the area early last week, but were not able to locate Bardalez.

After the citizen located Bardalez on Tuesday, Kure Beach police have had Bardalez transported to the medical examiner’s office.

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