A 14-year-old boy from Philadelphia is missing after he disappeared in the ocean off Wildwood, N.J., during a school field trip on Monday, police said.
In a press release from the City of Wildwood Fire Department, Wildwood Beach Patrol and the Wildwood Police Department, authorities said at approximately 1:26 p.m. local time on Monday, a police officer was flagged down regarding swimmers in distress.
“The Wildwood City Fire Department and North Wildwood Fire Department were immediately dispatched, along with Wildwood Police for a water rescue assignment. A Wildwood Beach Patrol ALERT Team consisting of 3 lifeguards was also on duty and responded as well,” the press release said.
“Upon arrival of the first Wildwood City Fire and Police units, several people were observed in the surf,” the release continued. “A Wildwood Police Officer entered the water and assisted three swimmers out of the water.”
At that time, it was determined that a 14-year-old male was still missing, police said.
Multiple rescue swimmers from the Wildwood City Fire Department, North Wildwood Fire Department, Wildwood Beach Patrol and North Wildwood Beach Patrol entered the water and began searching for the missing swimmer.
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
“This also included launching rescuers on rescue boards and two PWC’s (personal watercraft) from the Wildwood Beach Patrol and one PWC from the North Wildwood Beach Patrol. Additional resources were requested from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Sector Delaware Bay and NJ State Police (NJSP), Marine Services Bureau, Boats from the USCG, NJSP and North Wildwood Fire Dept., along with USCG and NJSP helicopters all assisted in the search operation,” the press release said.
After a roughly two-hour search, beachside rescue operations ceased but marine and aviation units continued to search the area, police said.
One swimmer was transported to Cooper University Cape Regional hospital for treatment. The swimmer is reportedly in stable condition. Two other swimmers were treated on the scene.
The 14-year-old male has yet to be located and search efforts are ongoing, police added.
Global News has reached out to the Wildwood Police Department and the City of Wildwood Fire Department for further comment but has not received a response.
The missing student’s grandmother, Kenya Pippen, spoke to ABC News about her grandson, saying that he attended a school in Northeast Philadelphia for students with special needs.
According to Pippen, her grandson was accompanied by a school chaperone and a family member on the trip.
She alleges that when the family member stepped away to get food, her grandson went into the water with other students near Morey’s Pier, while staff watched from the shore.
“There were no lifeguards present at all, and they still allowed these children with special needs to get into the water with no adults,” Pippen alleged.
She called her grandson’s disappearance a “disgrace,” adding, “My grandson has been missing. It’s cold here. He’s been gone for hours. He doesn’t deserve this. He’s just a kid. He was supposed to graduate on Wednesday.”
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
