Body found off Rancho Palos Verdes coast near where swimmer vanished

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Friends and family of Joseph Sanchez, of Long Beach, react to the discovery of a body along the shore in Rancho Palos Verdes on Sunday morning. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Rescue personnel load a body onto a Los Angeles County lifeguard boat after it was discovered Sunday morning. (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Divers continue searching for a young man who may have drowned in Abalone Cove on Wednesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Family members grieve while watching recovery efforts from a hill lookout above Abalone Cove. Divers continue searching for a young man who may have drowned there Wednesday. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Family members console one another as the search resumed Thursday morning for a young man who may have drowned in Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Family members are escorted out of the area where a search was on Thursday morning for a young man who may have drowned in Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A search resumed Thursday for a young man who may have drowned in heavy surf near Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A search resumed Thursday for a young man who may have drowned in heavy surf near Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A search resumed Thursday for a young man who may have drowned in heavy surf near Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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A search resumed Thursday for a young man who may have drowned in heavy surf near Abalone Cove in Rancho Palos Verdes. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

By Abby Sewell

July 13, 2014 12:42 PM PT

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials found a body Sunday morning in the area where an 18-year-old swimmer disappeared last week.

Members of the sheriff’s emergency services detail found a body in Abalone Cove, but could not confirm whether it was the body of the missing swimmer, said Deputy Amber Smith, of the sheriff’s headquarters bureau.

Investigators from the sheriff’s homicide unit were en route to the scene, she said.

County fire officials were dispatched to the scene at 11:24 a.m.

A teen identified by friends as Joseph Sanchez, 18, had reportedly been cliff jumping Wednesday with friends off Inspiration Point near Abalone Cove Shoreline Park when the high surf swept him into a cave.

Lifeguards, sheriff’s officials and the U.S. Coast Guard began combing the waters Wednesday afternoon.

Friends said Sanchez had jumped from the spot before, but was not considered to be a strong swimmer.

Follow Abby Sewell on Twitter at @sewella