The crew of a 25-foot U.S. Coast Guard rescue boat on Wednesday recovered the body of an airman swept off a near-shore reef at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
Air Force officials identified the body as that of electronic and environmental systems craftsman Senior Airman Louis Avellanet, 21, assigned to 60th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Calif.
Avellanet was on temporary duty at Andersen.
The cause of death will be determined by a coroner, Coast Guard civilian search and rescue coordinator Lee Putnam said, referring other questions to Andersen officials.
Andersen officials could not be reached for comment late Wednesday.
Putnam said the body was recovered at 9:20 a.m. about a quarter-mile from the location where Avellanet was last seen Tuesday afternoon.
Previously, Putnam said the missing airman reportedly was walking atop a reef at Tarague Beach when the surf swept him off his feet.
The airman was reported missing at 4:36 p.m. Tuesday.
Cross-currents at the reef make it a treacherous place to wade or swim, officials have said.
Coast Guard, Andersen fire department, Guam police and Navy units assisted in the search for the missing airman.
