Where were the four missing divers found? US Coast Guard rescue four men after a day-long search

On Monday, August 14, officials from the US Coast Guard confirmed that they had rescued four divers who were reported missing a day before near Myrtle Beach, California. According to USA Today, the four individuals disappeared while diving off a boat, identified as Big Bill's.

On Sunday afternoon, the divers were not seen for a sustained period of time, prompting the search.

As per NPR, all four divers were located just under 50 miles southeast of the Cape Fear River. None reportedly sustained any injuries after the day-long ordeal. US Coast Guard officials are still trying to determine the circumstances behind their disappearance.

The divers have been identified by US officials as Evan Williams (16), Luke Lodge (26), Daniel Williams (46), and Ben Wiggins (64). The relationships between the divers have not been established.

---

How the US Coast Guard managed to locate the four missing divers

On Sunday, August 13, the four men went on a recreational diving trip approximately 63 miles off the coast of Myrtle Beach. As per the CNN, they were reported missing after they failed to surface for a prolonged period of time. Subsequently, teams from both the US Coast Guard and US Navy got involved with the search effort.

Jonathan Lally, a Coast Guard official, discussed the importance of collaboration between agencies in searches at sea.

"Unlike being on a road, where you can be on a roadway and cars are passing on a fairly regular basis, in the maritime domain it's not as easy," Lally said.

Rescue teams deployed both boats and aircrafts in the search effort. The Coast Guard noted that the vehicles used in the rescue mission included an HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew and MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew.

Due to the strong water currents, rescue efforts went on into the night. Officials involved in the search said that after studying the currents, they determined that the missing individuals would most likely be along the North Carolina coast.

At 12:45 am on Monday, US Coast Guard C-130 located the divers near the Cape Fear River. The divers reportedly used a strobe light to signal at the rescue teams, catching their attention.

After spotting the divers, the rescue teams deployed a life raft from one of the air crafts, following which they sent a boat to pick them up. At 6:10 am, the divers were transported back to safety. After they got off at a Coast Guard station on Oak Island, all four individuals were subjected to medical screenings.

Initially, officials were surprised at how four men managed to survive the ordeal unharmed. Lally said that they are still trying to determine the methods used by the divers. The details behind their experience at sea have not yet been publicly disclosed.