1 teen missing, 2 safe after being swept away off western Japan beach

Tottori, Japan - One teenager is still missing after three teenage boys were swept away while swimming at a beach in western Japan on Saturday, according to police. The other two boys managed to make it back to shore safely, police reported. A friend who was with them alerted emergency services around 3:45 p.m. that the three swimmers had been carried out to sea near Iwami in Tottori Prefecture.

Although the beach is a designated swimming area, its official season concluded on August 16, as per the local tourism association's website. One of the two rescued boys returned to shore unaided, while the other was airlifted to safety by a prefectural disaster prevention helicopter. Both rescued boys were conscious, police stated.

The Tottori Police Station revealed that the trio had accompanied two additional friends to the beach. Search efforts involving police, firefighters, and the local coast guard are ongoing to locate the missing teenager.