A 19-year-old Gloucester man drowned last week after he disappeared while swimming near Oregon Inlet campground, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Brian Mouring went out of sight on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 18, according to Cyndy Holda, spokesperson for the National Park Service Outer Banks Group. She said Mouring and a friend, Noah Tripp, were swimming in the ocean at the time Mouring disappeared.

"Tripp stated that Mouring was swimming behind him," Holda said. Tripp went under a wave and upon resurfacing, was unable to see or locate Mouring, according to Holda.

She said Tripp searched for approximately three minutes before returning to the campground, where he had friends call 911.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class David Marin said Coast Guard Sector North Carolina received a call from a Dare County, N.C., 911 dispatcher at 10 a.m. Wednesday, reporting the swimmer missing.

Marin said an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station...