Multiple agencies are searching Horn Island for Nolan Xavier Wells. He is 18 years old and from Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Witnesses last saw him on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at around 3 p.m. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter confirmed the operation. Law enforcement and maritime teams are working together to locate him.
Wells is a Black male. He stands approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs 180 pounds. He wore blue swim trunks, no shirt and sunglasses when witnesses last saw him. Search teams are currently focusing on the east end of Horn Island. Authorities identify that location as his last known position.
Who is searching and where
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department leads the search. The Department of Marine Resources, the Gulf Islands National Seashore and the U.S. Coast Guard are all assisting. Additionally, the United Cajun Navy has joined the effort. Incident commander Josh Gill confirmed that teams are concentrating on the east end of the island. Furthermore, Gill noted that a witness last saw Wells hanging out with a girl on the island before he disappeared.
Authorities have set up a command post at the Lake Mars Boat Launch. It sits at 1200 Lake Mars Ave, Ocean Springs, Mississippi 39564.
What authorities are asking the public to do
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Department is urging the public to come forward. Anyone who spoke with Wells on Horn Island on July 4 and has not yet contacted law enforcement should call immediately. Authorities stress that any detail, however small, could help establish his last known whereabouts. The department number is 228-769-3063.
Gautier Mayor Casey Vaughan also posted a public appeal on Facebook. He called on anyone who visited Horn Island on July 4 to contact authorities. This includes people who traveled by boat in the area or believe they may have seen Wells or given him a ride. Moreover, Vaughan urged anyone currently near Horn Island or the surrounding barrier islands to stay observant. Anyone who spots something relevant should notify the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources Marine Patrol, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department or local law enforcement. Vaughan also specifically asked the public not to place themselves in danger or interfere with the ongoing search.
A mother’s public appeal
Wells’ mother, Christine Wonsley, has been posting continuous updates on Facebook. In one post, she described her son as one of the sweetest and kindest souls anyone could ever meet. She asked anyone who captured photos or videos at the northwest tip of Horn Island on July 4 to share them with her. She calls her son Nono and refers to him as her sonshine.
Wonsley confirmed that witnesses last saw her son around 3 p.m. on Saturday at the west tip of the north side of Horn Island. Her posts have kept community attention on the search and generated significant public engagement across the region.
Agencies involved in the search
Several agencies are actively participating in the search. They include the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the United States Coast Guard, the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources and the United Cajun Navy. Together, this response reflects how seriously authorities are treating the disappearance.
Horn Island is a barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico off the Mississippi coast. It forms part of the Gulf Islands National Seashore. Visitors can only reach it by boat. Consequently, that reality adds considerable logistical complexity to search and rescue operations in the area.
Anyone with information about Nolan Wells should contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department immediately at 228-769-3063.
Source: Hindustan Times / WLOX / Nola.com / The US Sun
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