Authorities said at 2:53 p.m., beach patrol was called to the scene regarding a swimmer in distress on the west side of Tower 25.
When the Galveston Island Beach Patrol supervisor arrived, guards signaled for a missing swimmer.
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Additional agencies were called to assist, and a jet ski was launched to search with multiple guards.
At 3:38 p.m., the beach patrol pulled the 17-year-old from the water.
Galveston police and fire departments conducted CPR on the teenager, and he was taken by Galveston EMS to UTMB, where he was pronounced dead.
The teenager's identity has not been released by authorities.
The beach patrol confirmed with Eyewitness News that the teenager's death marked the fifth drowning on Galveston Island this year. Lt. Austin Kirwin said on average, there are about seven to eight drownings a season.
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