Dive teams from different agencies continue their water search today for a 24-year-old Raleigh man reported missing by friends after a late night swim in Lake Gaston.

Lieutenant George Evans of the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office said Karl Besas went swimming with four other friends around 11 p.m. 

They left in a boat from a dock on Vincent Circle in the Myrick Estates subdivision.When they finished their swim they noticed Besas did not rejoin them.One of the friends jumped in the water to look for him but could not find him.

Evans said friends told him Besas was a good swimmer.

Fire and rescue dive teams searched for the man today about a mile from the boat landing at Bluebird Point, Evans said.

A state Highway Patrol helicopter was on its way to help in the search.

Dive teams from the Littleton and Longbridge fire departments and the Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad participated in the search, said Stan Lewis of the Littleton Fire Department, who is incident commander.

The Norfolk Police Department was expected to arrive with side scanning sonar.

Eight divers were on boats but had not yet entered the water as of late this morning.