Body discovered on Horn Island amid search for missing teenager
A body was found on Horn Island on Monday morning while authorities continue searching for 18-year-old Nolan Wells, whose identity has not yet been confirmed.
Jackson County officials said a body was recovered near the northwest tip of Horn Island at about 8:45 a.m. on Monday, according to Sheriff John Ledbetter. The discovery was made by a park ranger, but the individual's identity has not been verified.
The find comes as a multi-agency effort continues to locate 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells, who was last seen on the island on July 4 at around 3 p.m. Wells, a wide receiver for Southwest Mississippi Community College and a former Ocean Springs High School football player, has been missing for several days.
Search operations involve the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore, the U.S. Coast Guard and the volunteer group known as the Cajun Navy. A command post for first responders is operating from the Lake Mars Boat Launch in Ocean Springs.