Search for missing man at SF’s Ocean Beach suspended

Coast Guard continues searching Wednesday for a missing person at Ocean Beach, officials said. In this photo, coastal oceanographer, Francis Smith, walks directly into a rip current to demonstrate how one can get swept away at Ocean Beach on Friday, May 19, 2017 in San Francisco, Calif. less Coast Guard continues searching Wednesday for a missing person at Ocean Beach, officials said. In this photo, coastal oceanographer, Francis Smith, walks directly into a rip current to demonstrate how one can ... more Photo: Amy Osborne, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Amy Osborne, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 4 Caption Close Search for missing man at SF’s Ocean Beach suspended 1 / 4 Back to Gallery

A search for a 19-year-old man who went missing Tuesday night at Ocean Beach in San Francisco was suspended Wednesday after Coast Guard aircraft crews combed the coastline without success, officials said.

Firefighters received a report about 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday that the man, who was not identified, appeared to be struggling in the water and needed to be rescued, according to the San Francisco Fire Department.

The man’s friend called 911 when he noticed that his friend, who had on swim shorts but no flotation device, hadn’t returned from a swim, said Lt. Megan Mervar of the Coast Guard.

“It does sound like there was a bit of a time gap between when the person was first in distress and when the person made the 911 call,” Mervar said. “The sooner we know, the better likelihood we have of finding the person in the water.”

After about an hour of searching, firefighters found no sign of the victim.

The Coast Guard deployed an 87-foot coastal cutter and a 47-foot motor lifeboat as soon as the call came in, Mervar said.

The cutter remained on scene off the beach overnight Tuesday, she added.

The Coast Guard also attempted to do an aerial search, but fog prevented an ample view of the scene on Wednesday morning, Mervar said.

As of 9:40 a.m. Wednesday, the Coast Guard suspended its search for the missing man.

“His friend said the gentleman in the water was a good swimmer and thought he was OK,” Mervar said.

Ocean Beach has a dangerous reputation because of its strong waves and cold water. Though hazardous water conditions, including strong rip currents, are generally cause for concern, waves this week aren’t expected to reach over 3 feet, said Will Pi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Francis Smith, a coastal oceanographer at UC Berkeley, said keeping a cool head is crucial when getting caught in a riptide.

If caught in a rip current, the best thing to do is to ride it out and then swim parallel to the shore before making it back to the beach, Smith added.

Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani