Posted on 06/22/2024 4:49:41 AM PDT by george76
The couple was vacationing at Hutchinson Island, Florida, with their 6 children..
A Chester County, Pennsylvania couple has died after they were caught in a rip current while vacationing with their six children off Hutchinson Island, which is near Port St. Lucie, Florida.
The victims have been identified as 51-year-old Brian Warter and his 48-year-old girlfriend, Erica Wishard, both of Downingtown.
The family was swimming around 1:30 p.m. behind the Marriott Hotel when the couple and two of their children were swept out by a rip current.
Police said the kids were able to break the current and tried to help their parents, but the water was too dangerous and they were forced to swim back to shore.
"Multiple witnesses told our investigators that both the male and female, who are now deceased, got in the ocean, right into a rip current and immediately were pulled from the shore. One of the children of the deceased tried to yell to them instructions on how to swim parallel to the shore, but they were in panic mode and unfortunately went under," Martin County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy John Budensiek
...
"Lifeguards entered the water and were able to pull out one unconscious person and begin CPR, " said MCFR officials.
A few moments later, another unconscious swimmer was rescued, and CPR was initiated.
Those life-saving efforts continued in the ambulance and at the hospital, but doctors said they were not able to be saved.
...
Rip currents are very dangerous along the East Coast, including at the Jersey shore.
Local reports indicate the couple were swimming during a High Hazard Warning Flag advisory, which means high surf and strong currents.
"It is a beautiful place, but they don't realize how dangerous it can be the ocean is strong and final when it gets a hold of you," said Martin County Sheriff Deputy John Budensiek.
Warter had two older boys in their late teens. Wishard had four children.
...
Experts warn that if you get caught in a rip current, do not fight it, and instead let it take you out to sea.
You should also swim horizontally to the coast to get out of one.
A Martin County Sheriff's Crisis Intervention Team Deputy is helping the couple's children as they await the arrival of other family members.
Rising oceans makes it a much more dangerous situation.
my father always said swim in the pool not in the ocean and if you do not deeper than waist high
The beaches in FL have rip tide warnings posted when it’s a danger.
Also, you can tell my looking at the water if you learn what to look for.
smart kid. Too bad the parents weren’t as savvy about swimming in the ocean.
“Rising oceans makes it a much more dangerous situation.”
That will be the dumbest thing I have read all day.
What’s sad here is that they died not from the rip current but from exhaustion. Rip currents quickly move you away from the coast, but swimming parallel to the coast should get you out of trouble. Trying to get closer to the coast is what tires you out quickly.
You can float a looooong time in warm salty water.
There is no hope for people who reach middle age and don’t know how to handle a rip current. How’d they miss the ten million briefings? Those poor kids…
The day is young! There is a boat load of stupid in store this day, much like every other day of late.
Absolutely you can float a long time. They panicked and exhausted themselves.
Deadliest thing about water is panic. Panic will kill you.
I’m a certified diver, and large sailboat owner of many years and I have been in some very adverse conditions, but I did not panic. Always have a plan.
Agreed.
Read any thread on an article from Slay News. Or Gateway Pundit.
Dumb is a high water mark in those instances.
That will be the dumbest thing I have read all day.
C'mon Toad, look at his tag line.
Some FReepers just love to start the day without using the "S-OFF" tag.
He got you and you jumped on it like a tiger on a pregnant ant eater.
what a stupid comment
I got banned once for not using /sarc.
And too many people took me seriously and were very angry or insulting.
My rule: when the sarcasm is over the top, /sarc is necessary.
From NOAA website-
“A rip current, sometimes incorrectly called a rip tide, is a localized current that flows away from the shoreline toward the ocean, perpendicular or at an acute angle to the shoreline”
nothing about “rising oceans”!
Poor children. Prayers for them. I hope this was a step situation and they have a living parent.⅘
Bad combo: PA and FL.
I think I got caught in a rip tide once, but it pulled me toward shore. Was it a rip tide?
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