Body of swimmer visiting North Topsail Beach has been found

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH, Onslow County — The North Topsail Police Chief, William Younginer, confirmed the body of 24-year-old Moses Muchai washed ashore a beach on Camp Lejeune.

He says the autopsy was completed, and Muchai was identified by fingerprints.

Muchai went missing on July 29th when he and his 12-year-old brother walked out to a sandbar at North Topsail Beach.

Crews were able to quickly rescue his younger brother but were unable to save him.

Since then, North Topsail Fire and Rescue has searched the New River Inlet with helicopters and boats searching for Muchai.

Related: One person rescued, another lost as North Topsail Beach officials search New River Inlet

People living in the area said this is the second drowning in one month, and that the beach needs more signs and lifeguards.

Don Doutt, a man living down the road from where the swimmer went missing said, “It looks like a great place to swim. I would be there myself if I didn’t know what I do know about the inlet. “

Doutt went on to say that he worries about the people he sees on the beach, “You get caught in the tidal flow out here, you’re a lost soul.”

Chief Younginer said North Topsail has 12 miles of beach, and it would be difficult to staff all 12 miles.

“We’ve been talking about education and some different ways we can educate long before this even happened. So, we talked about where we can put up some more signage and ways, we can do some more education” Chief Younginer explained, “The problem with lifeguards is that North Topsail Beach has got 12-13 miles of beach and I’ve been involved in other beaches where we had 3 miles of beach and 45 lifeguards. There’s no way you’re gonna have enough lifeguards to guard this beach.”

Chief Younginer said Muchai was visiting the area from Texas and his family is from all over the country.

He said at least they can leave with a sense of closure Moses was found.