The bodies found in the waters off the Rockaways over the weekend were officially identified Wednesday as teens Elyjha Chandler and Christian Perkins, officials said.
Elyjha, 16, and Christian, 17, accidentally drowned in the surf at Jacob Riis Park on June 21, a city Medical Examiner spokesperson said.
Police found Elyjha’s body off Beach 114th St. and the Ocean Promenade around 9 p.m. Saturday, his devastated father previously confirmed to the Daily News.
A second body, now confirmed to be Christian’s, was found at 10:45 a.m. Sunday about 2 miles from where the boys drowned.
“Someone was walking with their dog and they found his body washed up,” Elyjha’s father, Urshell Chandler, said after his son’s body was found. “I feel relieved but still sad.”
Christian and Elyjha were in the water near Bay 2 with friends when they were swept under the waves around 6:30 p.m., officials said.
Obtained by Daily News
Elyjha Chandler was swimming with friends off Jacob Riis Park Friday evening when he and a 17-year-old pal disappeared under the waves.
The NYPD, FDNY and Coast Guard searched the waters for the two teens, but they couldn’t be found.
A day later, the Coast Guard suspended the search, which covered more than 600 square miles, according to a press release.
Christian and Elyjha were childhood friends and both attended Abraham Lincoln High School in Coney Island.
Christian’s family believes the boys were at football practice before heading to the beach to cool off as the city sweltered under a heat wave.
