North Topsail Beach officials said they were notified just before 10 a.m.
Police responded to the base and notified the family of missing teen Mainor Perez about the found body. Identification has not yet been confirmed.
North Topsail Beach released a statement Sunday, saying in part:
"We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the family at this difficult time."
"It's really hard for my family. I don't know if we will be able to see him one more time," Yunior Perez, the brother of Mainor, said.
It happened on New River Inlet. According to Perez, this was a Fourth of July trip for him, his two brothers, and his brother-in-law. Thursday morning the family had just wrapped up fishing. While preparing to leave, Mainor and another brother wanted to enjoy the water a little longer.
"I heard them say 'Help, help, help.' I told my brother-in-law to help them out because he's the only one that can swim," he said. "He saved one of my brothers and the other one disappeared into the water."
Crews searched the surrounding ocean water including the entirety of New River Inlet but could not find the teen.