Rip Current in Coastal Jefferson Parish, Louisiana

A 17-year-old male was swimming with friends near the jetties at Grand Isle Beach when he was pulled offshore by a rip current and submerged. At approximately 2:11 PM CDT, the U.S. Coast Guard received a report from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO) of a swimmer in distress about 500 yards from the jetties. Two JPSO deputies on scene initially maintained visual contact with the swimmer before losing sight of him. The Coast Guard Sector New Orleans Command Center issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and deployed a response boat from Coast Guard Station Grand Isle, along with an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans. Search efforts by Coast Guard personnel along the shoreline were initially unsuccessful. JPSO and local emergency medical services later located a body matching the swimmer's description that had washed ashore. The individual was subsequently identified by the Jefferson Parish Coroner's Office as 17-year-old Jordan Naquin of Houma, Louisiana.

Elevated onshore winds were observed along the southeast Louisiana coast on April 4th, creating hazardous surf conditions near Grand Isle. While winds remained just below Small Craft Advisory criteria, the persistent onshore flow of 15 to 20 knots likely contributed to an increased rip current risk along Grand Isle beaches, especially near coastal structures such as jetties.