Missing 18-Year-Old Nolan Wells Found Dead on Mississippi Island, Family Confirms Identity

Missing 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells' body has been found off the Mississippi Gulf Coast, according to local authorities.

Officials tell local outlets the body was discovered Monday morning around 8:45 AM in the water near the northwest end of Horn Island after a park ranger made the grim find.

Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter said the remains matched the description of Wells, who had been the subject of a search effort.

While authorities are awaiting DNA testing to make a formal identification, Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd announced there is no indication the body belongs to anyone else -- telling reporters there is "no reason to believe it is not him."

Wells' family has also shared messages on social media confirming his death, mourning the loss of the 18-year-old.

Officials have not yet released additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death, and the investigation remains ongoing pending the official identification and further findings.

As we previously reported ... a massive search was underway for the Mississippi teenager who vanished during a Fourth of July trip to a popular island ... and authorities are asking anyone who spent the holiday on the water to help bring him home.

Wells was last seen around 3 PM Saturday on Horn Island -- off the Mississippi coast, Ocean Springs -- according to the Jackson County Sheriff's Department. He was wearing black shorts and sunglasses when he disappeared.