By Trina A. San Agustin
Variety News Staff

THE U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search and rescue efforts in locating the missing 21-year-old Airman First Class Michael McDonald at 2 a.m. Monday.
According to Coast Guard search and rescue specialist Lee Putnam, their efforts had to cease.
“The call was based on the length of time the individual had been in the water, his chance of survival, and the amount of effort put forth to that point,” Putnam said.
After the search and rescue efforts were suspended, the Guam Police Department, the Guam Fire Department, and Andersen Air Force Base Fire and Rescue team began recovery efforts for his remains.
GPD Marine Patrol Section officer-in-charge Sgt. Anthony Chaco said GPD will consider diving again today if the water conditions are better than they were yesterday.
“The undertow was very strong on Monday afternoon, resulting not only in limited access to the immediate reef area, but minimal visibility as well,” Chaco told Variety.
The National Weather Service in Tiyan issued a high surf advisory until early Saturday morning. Hazardous surf was expected to be around 8- to 10- feet along northeast and east facing exposures.
NWS meteorologist Mike Middlebrooke said Tarague Beach falls along those exposures.
“A high surf advisory means that dangerous surf is occurring and producing life-threatening rip currents. Avoid venturing near exposed reefs and beaches, especially along northeast and east facing reefs,” according to NWS.
Meanwhile, Andersen Air Force Base officials confirmed Sunday’s online reports that McDonald was deployed to Andersen Air Force Base from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota with the 36th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
McDonald, along with nearly 200 other airmen, and six B-52s, was deployed to Guam to support the war on terror. According to online U.S. Air Force reports, the five arrived on Guam in October 2006 and some were expected to return to Minot Air Force Base before the end of the week.
“Andersen Air Force officials have classified Airman McDonald under the category of duty status whereabouts unknown, a status reserved for airmen missing in a non-hostile situation,” the release stated.
The report of McDonald getting swept over the reef at Tarague Beach was made at 11:15 a.m. on Saturday and the Coast Guard responded around 11:30 a.m.
McDonald was with four others when the incident happened. Three were able to make it back to shore and one had to be pulled from the waters. However, contrary to earlier media reports, all four were taken to the Naval Regional Medical Center at Naval Hospital.
The four were treated and released that same day, according to COMNAVMAR public affairs officer Lt. Donnell Evans.