Clearwater Beach, Fla. — The body of 18‑year‑old Elias Guillermo Lara Vargas was found early Tuesday morning on Clearwater Beach, ending a desperate search that began more than a week ago after he went missing during a kayaking trip off Honeymoon Island.
A beachgoer spotted a body in the sand around 7:40 a.m. and immediately called authorities. The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that it was Vargas and that his family has been notified. Officials say there’s no indication of foul play and that the tragic loss appears to be a heartbreaking accident.
Vargas and others set out on January 18 from the Gulf side of Honeymoon Island State Park, according to emergency crews. Rough waves and strong currents hit the group, pushing their kayaks far from shore. The conditions were tough, with winds and three‑ to five‑foot swells challenging even experienced paddlers.
One of the kayakers, 19‑year‑old Savannah Ozer, was rescued that night and taken to a hospital for treatment of exhaustion and hypothermia. She was later released, thankful to be alive. Another person was evaluated at the scene and did not need to be taken in for care. The group’s distress call came in around 6:24 p.m. that Sunday, and rescue crews went to work.
Vargas, who was training as a lifeguard and known by friends as someone who looked out for others, reportedly went into the water to help Ozer after her kayak flipped. His own kayak capsized in the heavy current, separating him from the others. The overturned boats were later found near Caladesi Island, south of the initial scene.
Search efforts immediately brought together the U.S. Coast Guard, the Sheriff’s Office, Dunedin Fire Rescue, Clearwater Fire & Rescue, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and other partner agencies. Coast Guard crews covered roughly 290 square miles by air and sea, but the harsh conditions made locating Vargas extremely difficult. The Coast Guard paused its primary search on the evening of January 19, though local teams continued efforts until Tuesday’s grim discovery.
Friends and family in Clearwater are left to mourn a young life lost too soon. Community members remember Vargas as someone with promise and a kind spirit, a teenager with a bright smile who cared about others. Messages of support continue to pour in, and local officials say the investigation remains open as they work to bring closure to his loved ones.
