DATE: Wednesday, July 16, 1997              TAG: 9707160466

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY NAOMI AOKI, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   67 lines

BOY, 11, SLIPS OFF SANDBAR AT BEACH, FEARED DROWNED

Jason T. Thomas, 11, had made his way out to a sandbar off Community Beach in Ocean View Tuesday afternoon, swimming part of the way and wading the rest.

But the tide crept up as Jason played, witnesses said, and when he slipped a short time later, he had to struggle to keep his head above water. His 13-year-old brother and two nearby friends tried to keep him afloat, but couldn't.

Jason quickly disappeared into the murky waters of the Chesapeake Bay.

``I think he panicked when he stepped off the sandbar,'' said Bob Williams, who was sitting on the beach. ``At first, I thought they were playing.''

When he realized the boys were in trouble, Williams jumped up and swam out to them. The water around the sandbar was about 7 feet deep, he said. On-duty lifeguards reached them at about the same time and brought Jason's brother and two friends safely to shore, he said.

A search for Jason's body began moments later, around 3:30 p.m., when the brother told lifeguards that Jason was still in the water, police spokesman Larry Hill said.

Jason's body was not recovered in the search, which lasted until dark. Hill said officials planned to resume the search this morning.

About eight lifeguards formed a human chain and walked a mile-long stretch of water from the beach to Harrison's Pier, while Norfolk police divers dragged the water using a rope. The Coast Guard and Norfolk fire and rescue workers scanned the water from a helicopter, a boat and personal watercraft.

``His brother had him for a while,'' said Omar Felton, who was sitting on the beach when the incident began. ``When the lifeguards brought him to shore, he was screaming, `My brother's out there. Go get my brother.' ''

The boys' mother arrived about 15 minutes later, Felton said. The family lives in the 700 block of Chester Street.

She started crying and fell to her knees, he said. Felton said he heard the mother chastise her 13-year-old son for being at the beach against her wishes and then give him a hug.

The mother, father and friends waited on the beach during the five-hour search. The children were taken home soon after the search began. The family declined to comment.

``I just hope a lesson comes out of this,'' Felton said. ``Kids need to listen to their parents. And no kids under a certain age should be out here unsupervised.''

Hill said the search was particularly difficult because the children could not remember exactly where Jason went under water.

``In the panic, they lose track of where the person was last seen,'' Hill said. ``It's important to have a sure marker.''

Limited visibility also complicated the search, he said. Rescue workers could only see a foot or two into the water.

Parents should teach their children how to swim and make them aware of how dangerous water can be, Hill said.

Williams also quietly watched and waited on the beach until dark set in.

``I just hope they find his body,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

JOHN C. BELL

Murky water complicated search by lifeguards and rescue teams at

Ocean View.

Photo

JOHN C. BELL

Jason T. Thomas disappeared into the Chesapeake Bay at Ocean View

Community Beach KEYWORDS: DROWNING

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