Wade McCurdy had been “horsing around” according to police when he jumped 20 metres from the Port Bouvard Bridge in Dawesville about 1am Thursday morning.

A teenager who was with Mr McCurdy at the time reportedly jumped from the bridge after his friend but failed to find any trace of the 19-year-old who did not surface.

The alarm was raised by another friend which sparked a massive air, sea and land search.

Mandurah water police, police divers and the police helicopter were called in to hunt for the young man.

The frantic search went through the night and ended in tragedy when Mr McCurdy’s body was pulled from the estuary just after 8am Thursday.

Devastated family members and friends gathered on the shore as the teenager’s body was recovered.

Mr McCurdy, who lived in Lakelands and was a champion body boarder, was formally identified later that day.

His death is the second tragedy to rock the McCurdy family within 12 months.

Last year, Mr McCurdy’s 22-year-old brother Ryan was killed in a freak accident after falling from a tree.

A memorial service was held for him just three weeks ago.

Now, as the family struggle to deal with their latest heartbreak, water police are urging people to heed warnings about the risks of bridge jumping.

In last week’s Mail local police urged people jumping from bridges in the Peel region to stop their risky behaviour.

Water police senior sergeant Ken Robertson said bridge jumping, while it may be “fun”, was “definitely fraught with many dangers”.

“Quite often there is no way of knowing what obstructions lay underneath the surface such as rocks or any other debris, as well as passing vessels,” sen-sgt. Roberton said.

Family and friends of Mr McCurdy gathered at Madora Bay beach on the weekend for an emotional farewell to a much-loved son, brother and friend.

More than 100 people went along to lend support to the family on what would have been Mr McCurdy’s 20th birthday on Sunday.

Friends said they would never forget their mate who had been popular, carefree and cheeky.

“He was a really good mate,” one friend said.

“We will always remember him.”