Deadly waters: Spring rip currents claim 2 lives at popular Florida beach destination
The two people who died were trying to save a child who had been swept away in a dangerous rip current.
Two people are dead after deadly rip currents in Florida
Two people in Florida are dead after becoming stuck in rip currents at Cocoa Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, despite the first responders’ valiant life-saving efforts. FOX 35 Reporter Amanda McKenzie has the latest.
COCOA BEACH, Fla. - Disaster has struck again in the ocean amid spring warmth in the U.S., as first responders attempted a water rescue on Tuesday.
A spring day at the beach went wrong at Cocoa Beach, Florida, when four individuals became distressed while swimming in the ocean, according to the Cocoa Beach Fire Department.
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Members of the fire department were dispatched at approximately 1 p.m. Upon arrival at the beach, they quickly located the four victims in what preliminary information indicated were rip current conditions, officials stated.
COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 03: The sun rises over an empty beach as Hurricane Dorian lingers offshore on September 3, 2019, in Cocoa Beach, Florida. The massive, slow-moving hurricane which devastated parts of the Bahamas and once was predicted to make landfall near Cocoa Beach, is now expected to stay off the Florida coast. (Scott Olson / Getty Images)
Rescuers swiftly extracted four swimmers from the water and immediately began life-saving measures for two of them.
Two of the unresponsive swimmers were transported to Cape Canaveral Hospital for further advanced medical care, but were pronounced dead after valiant efforts.
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According to FOX 35, the two individuals were trying to save a child who had been swept away and was thankfully OK.
This is not the only death related to rip currents in Florida, as a father recently passed away while saving his two children in Palm Beach County. Before that, another rip current death was reported in Pompano Beach.
Cocoa Beach, Florida, Cruise ship enters Port Canaveral from the Atlantic Ocean viewed from Cocoa Beach on the space coast Florida. (Peter Titmuss/UCG/Universal Images Group / Getty Images)
If you become stuck in a rip current, do not panic. Don’t swim directly against the current; try swimming sideways along the shoreline until you gradually escape the current’s pull.
Once you eventually break free of the ocean’s current, swim at an angle back to the beach.
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The best advice for preparing for rip currents is to choose a beach with lifeguards on duty, as they can be a great source of local weather and beach conditions.
The National Weather Service offers a surf forecast for popular beach locations to help beach-goers and swimmers prepare for what’s to come and what to avoid.