Swimmers’ bodies recovered

The bodies of two swimmers were recovered Wednesday morning after the men were reported missing following a midnight swim north of the Huntington Beach Pier, authorities said.

Ryan Reid, 22, of Huntington Beach and Christopher Palmer, 24, of Long Beach joined three friends for the swim by Tower 2 north of the pier, Huntington Beach police said.

Huntington Beach closes to the public at 10 p.m., and no lifeguards are on duty.

They were drinking but were not drunk, the three friends reportedly told police. The five visited a restaurant/bar on Main Street before the after-hours swim.

When the two women and another man got out of the water but could not find Reid and Palmer, they notified beach maintenance staff, who called police at approximately 1:10 a.m.

Orange County Harbor Patrol divers, the U.S. Coast Guard, Huntington Beach police and lifeguards searched for the men through the night.

The search included three boats and at least two helicopters.

Harbor Patrol called off the search at 4 a.m., Sgt. David Ginther said.

A man walking on the beach discovered Reid’s body at 5:48 a.m. by Tower 10, authorities said. That’s about half a mile north of where the five friends were swimming.

Palmer’s body was found at 7:53 a.m. in the surf by Tower 18, which is about a mile from where the group was swimming.

The water was a warm 69 degrees, with no strong riptide or side current, Marine Safety Lt. Michael Baumgartner said.

Waves were 1 to 3 feet high.

This is the third drowning in Huntington Beach this year.

All three happened after the beach was closed.

Toxicology tests to determine if the two men had alcohol or drugs in their systems will take about six to 12 weeks, according to the Orange County coroner’s office.