By JOE R. BOWLING JR.
Sunday morning brought an end to a search that lasted over four days after three swimmers came up missing near Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island. According to Cameron County Constable Department Pct. 1 Sgt. Richard Hernandez, the final victim was recovered about a mile and half north of the #5 Access on South Padre.
“A concerned citizen called it in,” said Hernandez, “about 8 a.m. and this was identified by family members as the 12-year-old.”
The three swimmers had been in the water for a short period of time when they disappeared Wednesday. Later that night the first victim was recovered when 22-year-old Jose Roberto Bolado of Brownsville was brought in. Bolado was airlifted from the scene and later pronounced dead. Immediately an all-out search was conducted for the remaining two swimmers, identified as brothers being 12 and 18 years of age. The Coast Guard employed aircraft and an array of boats in hopes of rescue. By Thursday morning a body was spotted, by air, along Boca Chica Beach approximately one and a half miles south of Hwy. 4. Cameron County Constables arrived and found this to be 18-year-old Jose Roberto Bolado.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of the May 2 edition of the Port Isabel South Padre Press or check out our E-edition by clicking here.
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