The search continue for cousins Alex Peric and Anthony Leota who disappeared in the sea off Utumea Beach yesterday afternoon while on a church youth outing.
Today divers from the Department of Public Safety, Marine and Wildlife Resources and volunteer divers searched underwater for the first time since the two boys went missing.
Overnight the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Gerczak continued a search for the pair.
April Peric Saifoloi, an older sister of Alex Peric, a 2019 Tafuna High School graduate and football star, spent the night at the beach.
She said, “I just hope they find them.” Her missing brother was the second youngest of 8 children.
He planned on attending the American Samoa Community College for two years before going off island.
“He and I were going to go and register at ASCC tomorrow,” said April.
Friends and family of the two young men sat under coconut trees waiting and hoping.
Anthony was going to be a senior at Samoana High School this year. He lived with April and her husband.
His mother has passed away and his father was hospitalized.
April said the boys were attending a youth camp for their church, and were in Utumea for a baptismal and a BBQ to end their camp.
Three volunteer divers, Fereti Lemoni, Mamani Seti and Amataga Mose Mulipola were anxious to start the underwater search for the boys.
But they had to wait for the Marine Patrol vessel which had gone back to Fagatogo to refuel, after scouring the area, in the morning.
The divers said if the boys were wearing tshirts chances are their clothing could have been stuck on coral pulling them down. 
At the Command Post, Commissioner Le’i Sonny Thompson kept watch with some of his deputies, and Deputy Director of Homeland Security Vini Atofau. He said they spent the night at Utumea in the guesthouse of High Chief Paepae Joe Faiai.
The Commissioner said the search will continue for 72 hours.
