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.
Or don’t know you should get married instead of shacking up....
This happened maybe 5 miles south of me. There are riptide warning, and every day this week and red flags are out.
A friend of mine, since it was a Strawberry Moon, decided to go swimming last night in the ocean despite the flags. She did it twice. She said red flags are her favorite.
The rip currents reverse farther up/down the beach. If swimming towards shore, do so at a 45 degree angle.
This is local to me. I am very sorry for their loss. My daughter and I were driving up A1A when I noticed the red flags were out that day. Dangerous conditions mean just that. People need to take heed of that or tragedy is a real possibility.
Hutchinson Island is not the name of a town. It is the barrier island off the coast of Martin and St. Lucie Counties.
This happened in Stuart, Florida.
Especially for minorities and women.
Let it take you out to sea?? No. I’ve never heard that. Swim parallel to the shore until you get out of it.
Some Northerners get seduced into lessening their sense of caution by being on vacation and enjoying Florida’s warm waters, attractive beaches, and mostly mild surf. A relative visiting Florida came close to drowning in a rip current, a risk that he knew well from the shore in New York. His explanation was that rip currents and surf in Florida seem less dangerous than in New York. My guess is that two parents from Pennsylvania took the same view.
...depending on the wave action.
I would hope so.
I’m past middle age and I don’t even know how to swim...
I would also consider this a stupid comment, but that’s just me -
The UN chief has harsh words for world leaders: Earth ‘is literally on fire’ and it’s in ‘great peril’
When the water is deeper, it's harder to swim. Everybody knows this. (All in good fun - until the water comes.)
We were taught a variation of that at Navy boot camp in the 80s. I wasn’t a good swimmer but that info made me feel a bit safer.
“I’m past middle age and I don’t even know how to swim...“
Then you would be taking a great risk walking into an ocean. If it riptides you’re going. Though if you did nothing but go with it and float, simply screaming would likely get you saved.
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