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The Coast Guard says Scott McLeish was swimming with two friends around 7 p.m. – after lifeguards had gone home for the day.

McLeish became separated from his friends, who then swam ashore and called 911.

Friends say McLeish frantically tried to rejoin the group.

"He tried to hop on his back. When he hopped on his back, the last wave pushed him off his back. Devon swam to him, I think he was pushing himself backwards,” said friend Anthony Muskelly. “He went all the way down there. He went further and further into the water."

"There's a sand bar out there. Initially you swim out to the sand bar and you end up on the sand bar. And then you go a little beyond that and then you're gone,” explained FDNY Deputy Chief Michael Halderman. “There's no sand bar and you get pulled away."

The New York City Police and Fire Departments arrived on the scene within minutes, and the Coast Guard launched an aerial and water rescue effort a short time later.

"Not giving up hope," said family friend Neville Evans. "You can't give up hope at this point; you can't."

Coast Guard officials will spend the day searching a 10-mile radius off shore and five miles of coastline.

They're relying on computer models that would indicate how far out a person would have drifted from where they were located.

The calm sunny conditions helped, but crews had no luck.

"The tricky part is the nature of how the person went into the water and how the distress began," said Carissa April of the U.S. Coast Guard. "The person was not wearing a flotation device. It makes it harder for the swimmer."

In addition to the lack of lifeguard presence when McLeish went missing, signs also warned of dangerous rip currents; conditions that have proved deadly before for swimmers.

People who live near Riis Beach say they see swimmers in the ocean when lifeguards are not on duty all the time. They say police cannot do much more, but swimmers should not only obey the rules, but also respect the ocean.

"I've been a lifeguard. You still have to know how to swim in this type of ocean," said one beach-goer.

The family is hoping that this time someone they love may somehow still beat the odds.