'Everyone was screaming': Desperate search continues for teenager who went missing overnight in rough surf after going swimming at night with friends
A teenage boy who reportedly can't swim has gone missing after going for a late night dip with friends at a popular beach in Perth.
The boy, 16, hadn't been seen as of Tuesday morning after four youths got into trouble while swimming at Scarborough Beach just after 8pm on Monday night.
Three of the teens made it back to shore with assistance from locals but one remaining boy could not be located, sparking a marine search and rescue operation.
Chaotic scenes at Scarborough Beach in Perth after police and emergency services responded to a report of four youths having difficulty swimming at the beach just after 8pm on Monday night
Three of the teens made it back to shore but one 16-year-old boy remains missing. Local residents, police officers and surf lifesavers were seen searching the beach shore for him with torches on Monday night
A witness said he saw four people screaming in the water before a local man saved one of them.
'Four people were in the water, everyone was screaming,' he told The West Australian.
'Two young people got out and two younger people were still in the water. A guy about 60 he jumps in there and saves one of them.'
WA Police confirmed three of the youths made it to shore 'with assistance'.
The remaining 16-year-old boy cannot swim, according to locals on social media.
Video of the search effort showed boats with search lights scouring the water in the darkness.
Video of the search effort shows boats with search lights patrolling the beach while it was completely dark outside
A Fremantle Sea Rescue boat leaves its base to join the search effort. A total of six vessels from Water Police and Volunteer Marine Rescue supported by Rescue 651 searched the ocean. An RAC Helicopter and Police air wing also searched from above
Six vessels from Water Police and Volunteer Marine Rescue supported by Rescue 651 searched the ocean.
'The entire FSR fleet including R100, Resolute, Rover 2 and Gemini 1 are part of the multi-agency search off Scarborough Beach,' Fremantle Sea Rescue said.
An RAC Helicopter, Police air wing, local and water police, Marine Rescue Whitfords and Fire and Emergency Services also assisted in the search effort.
Meanwhile, local residents, police officers and surf lifesavers were seen searching the beach shore with torches.
Emergency services called off the search late on Monday and it resumed at first light on Tuesday.
Scarborough Beach in Perth, WA during the daytime