A young lifesaver has been found dead after disappearing while going for a swim two days ago.

The 18-year-old, from Marcus Beach on the Sunshine Coast, was last seen entering the water with friends at Buddina Beach at about 4:15pm on Wednesday. 

It’s understood he went for a surf before a scheduled lifesaving training session.

Friends raised the alarm when he didn’t return to shore and a major search operation was launched. 

Later that same day, his friends were able to recover the teen’s surfboard, which showed no signs of damage.

Queensland Police confirmed the teen’s body had been pulled from the water around 6pm on Friday.

Extensive search and rescue efforts had been underway since the teen was first reported missing.

Rescue teams scoured the water on jet skis and dinghies while the LifeFlight rescue helicopter, Polair and coastguard surveyed the area from above. 

The body of an 18-year-old has been recovered from the water in the Sunshine Coast

The teen had disappeared in the surf on Wednesday afternoon before rescue teams were able to recover his body around 6pm on Friday

The search, which involved hundreds of volunteers as well as specialised police divers, extended from Point Cartwright to south of Kawana where rough water conditions caused several delays.

The teen was understood to have been a good swimmer. 

Surf Life Saving Queensland chief operating officer Gregory Cahill earlier said every effort had been deployed to help find the teenager. 

‘These things, hit home very, very hard. We do this every day and every week across our state, very, very proudly,’ he said.

‘But when it’s one of our own, it hits home very hard.’

A report will be prepared for the coroner.