12-year-old swimmer goes missing in Galveston

Crews search for 12-year-old Samira Carlon in Galveston on Thursday afternoon. Crews search for 12-year-old Samira Carlon in Galveston on Thursday afternoon. Photo: Ally Glenn Photo: Ally Glenn Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close 12-year-old swimmer goes missing in Galveston 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

GALVESTON – Lifeguards are expected to resume a search Friday for a 12-year-old girl who disappeared while swimming off a Galveston beach with a group of students from a Houston school.

At least 20 lifeguards searched the water Thursday while police and firefighters combed the shore for the girl for about four hours until it became too dark, said Peter Davis, Galveston Beach Patrol chief.

The U.S. Coast Guard identified the girl as Samira Carlon.

Davis said lifeguards received the call at about 3:15 p.m.

Samira was with a group of about 20 girls from KIPP Voyage Academy. They were swimming with two teachers near 53rd Street. Davis said there are no rip currents in the area.

Davis gave the following account of what happened:

One of the teachers went farther out than the rest of the group with five of the better swimmers. One of the girls stepped off a sandbar into deeper water and panicked, causing another girl to panic as well. The teacher took the two panicked girls about 15 to 20 yards back to shallow water and two other girls swam in on their own. Samira remained swimming.

The teacher went back and was unable to find Samira. None of the witnesses reported seeing her panic or give any indication of being in trouble.

Along with the lifeguards, three jet skis, a Coast Guard helicopter and search vessel and a Texas Parks and Wildlife vessel joined in the search.

A Beach Patrol pickup and a Coast Guard vessel were still patrolling the area as of 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

The Galveston social service agency Jesse Tree provided counseling for the teacher and for the family of the missing girl, Davis said.

Reporter Mike Glenn contributed to this report.