People who were on Mississippi’s Horn Island during the Fourth of July holiday are sharing new details about the conditions on the day 18 year old Nolan Wells vanished, offering fresh insight as investigators continue working to uncover what happened.

Melissa Miller, who has visited Horn Island every summer for the past decade, told NBC News that the island was much busier than usual, with large crowds of young people and families celebrating the holiday. She said everyone appeared to be enjoying themselves, but she never saw Wells that day.

Miller also recalled anchoring her boat near the island’s northwestern tip, the same area where Wells’ body was found two days later. She described the water there as especially dangerous, saying strong currents forced her group to tie their flotation devices to the boat to avoid being pulled into the Gulf.

A local charter boat captain echoed those concerns, describing the currents around Horn Island as unpredictable and powerful. He said conditions were calm earlier in the day but changed quickly around 4 p.m., making it difficult even for experienced boaters and strong swimmers.

“I know people that have grown up out there that have died out there,” the captain said. “Those currents can get you, and before you even realize you’re in trouble, you’re gone.”

Despite those accounts, Wells’ family continues to question the official theory that he drowned. They insist he was a strong swimmer and believe there are still major unanswered questions about his final hours, including why no one reportedly saw him in distress despite the large number of people on the island.

Family attorney Ben Crump has also questioned how nobody noticed or attempted to help if Wells had entered the water and began struggling.

Witnesses told investigators it was common for friends to switch boats before heading back to shore, and several said leaving phones on boats was normal because visitors typically waded through waist deep water to reach the island.

Authorities, including the FBI, continue interviewing people who attended the holiday gathering as investigators work to close the timeline gaps surrounding Wells’ disappearance. Search volunteer Brian Trascher previously said the key mystery remains identifying what happened between the moment Wells’ friends last saw him and the time he entered the water.