Authorities searched for a student from Ohio missing off the coast of Costa Rica today after two of his classmates as drowned when they were caught in a riptide violent.
Three teenagers - Caity Jones, James Smith and Kai Lamar - are all students in high school at Patriot Preparatory Academy, a Christian Charter School in Columbus, Ohio. They, with other classmates were missionary school sponsored trip and swim on the beach near the city of Parrita on the coast of the Pacific.
"From what I understand they were in the water, all eight children and four adults." A rip tide grabbed five of them. Rescuers rescued two of them. Caity stranded on the coast yesterday, boys have disappeared, said Sandy Shoaf, the mother of James Smith.
The body of Jones, 17, was discovered Wednesday, and the body of Smith, 16, was found today, said Jésus Escalona, spokesman for the Red Cross for Costa Rica. When reached by telephone, the Smith family was not aware that his body had been found and identified. The US Embassy had made know this morning that a second body had been found but not told them the identity of the body, said Shoaf.
"It is a great child." He lives his life for Jesus the moment he wakes up the morning up to the minute, that he went to sleep at night. "He wanted to be a youth pastor and he was Costa Rica for his first mission trip, Shoaf said fighting back tears.
Husband of Shoaf and pastor of the family are en route to Costa Rica looking for answers about their son. All 12 people on the missionary trip were to return this evening. They had been Costa Rica for about a week, said Shoaf.
"They were going to orphanages and distribute toys and books and pencils for children and to help build a church", she said.
Between SOBs, mother described his son as an avid guitar player who had planned for his first missionary journey since September of last year.
Uncle Jones said his funeral planning and make arrangements to have his body moved to Ohio.
"It was just an amazing young lady...".His heart was to help people, help children, said the uncle, Scott Jones. He told his niece is a junior high school with a 4.0 GPA.
Father of the dead girl, Todd Jones, is a teacher at Patriot Preparatory Academy and knew all teenagers on the trip well, said Scott Jones.
"Todd is my big brother." It is strong…but that you don't expect to have to plan a funeral for your daughter, "said Scott Jones.
Kai Lamar, 16, is the young person who is still missing.
Twenty-five Red Cross first aiders are continuing the research today, Escalona said, helped by two ships of the coast guard of Costa Rica and the two police aircraft.
The U.S. Coast Guard is committed to supporting the research effort and a boat is expected to reach the area later today, he said.
Drownings have long been a problem on the beaches of Costa Rica, resulting from a lack of qualified lifeguards. Some 47 people have drowned already this year, the Red Cross.
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