A former Pendleton teen is still missing at sea after trying to rescue a younger boy Saturday afternoon in heavy surf at Gleneden Beach.

According to a news release from the Oregon State Police, family members last saw Ross Barfuss, 16, at approximately 1:15 p.m., Saturday going into the surf to rescue River Jenison, an 11-year old boy from Westfir.

The Barfuss family had traveled to the Gleneden Beach area on a family outing when Barfuss spotted Jenison in the heavy surf and went to help him. The families did not know one another.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported it the received a request for assistance at 1:10 p.m. Saturday from the Lincoln City 9-1-1 dispatch center after a beachgoer reported the two boys were pulled out to sea.

Three minuets later, the Coast Guard launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew from Station Depoe Bay to search for the victims. Search minutes later a helicopter crew from Air Station North Bend also joined the search.

Around 1:45 p.m., Lincoln City Fire and Rescue recovered Jenison, who had washed ashore and was still alive. Rescue workers flew Jenison in a helicopter to the Lincoln City Hospital, where he later died.

The Coast Guard continued searching for Barfuss until 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Barfuss family moved in June 2007 to Aloha after living eight years in the Pendleton area. Barfuss’s father, David Barfuss, told OSP his son was a junior at Aloha High School.

The Barfuss’ are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. About 40-50 members of the Hazeldale stake of the church came Sunday to help the family continue looking for their son. A local Subway sandwich business donated food to those helping in Sunday’s search and recovery effort.

OSP said there are no photographs available for release.

As a seventh-grader at Sunridge Middle School in Pendleton, Barfuss acted in drama class. In 2003 the East Oregonian interview Barfuss and fellow classmates about their participation in a series of plays with Halloween themes. Barfuss played “Sabilla” in “Broomstick Beauty.”