U.S. Coast Guard looking for Marine off coast of Puerto Rico

March 28 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a U.S. Marine who went missing off of a Puerto Rico beach during dangerous rip currents Wednesday.

The Coast Guard said it received a report of a person in distress off the coast of Luquillo on Wednesday.

MH-60T Jayhawk helicopters and an HC-144 sentry aircraft were deployed to help search efforts, which continue into Thursday.

"Still missing is Samuel Manijru, a U.S. Marine resident of Mass., who was visiting the island with his family, when he came into distress after going in the water Wednesday afternoon in the beach area of "La Pared" in Luquillo," the Coast Guard said in a press release Thursday.

In a separate case, another person was reported to have died off of Luquillo Wednesday.

"Local authorities reported the man was recovered unresponsive and later declared deceased," the Coast Guard said.

The Coast Guard said March has been a deadly month for beach drownings in Puerto Rico and advised people to follow National Weather Service advisories.

"During this long-holiday weekend, I urge locals and visitors to pay close attention to the weather conditions and warnings from the National Weather Service and that they don't go into the water when visiting beaches in the western north and eastern coast of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands until conditions subside," said Coast Guard Sector San Juan Commander Jose Diaz.