Two teens went missing in the waters off Jacob Riis Park in Queens, New York, on Friday evening, just moments after lifeguards had gone off duty.
Witnesses reported seeing a massive wave engulf the boys, aged 16 and 17, who have not been identified. Despite the swift response from the FDNY, who received an emergency call shortly after 6:00 p.m., the teens never resurfaced.
Rescue teams, including marine units and fire boats, scoured the waters for nearly five hours. On Saturday morning, drones and helicopters from a nearby airfield joined the search.
NYC Beach Incident
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry expressed the gravity of the situation, noting it as a parent's worst nightmare.
In his statement, Daughtry stated that the team believes it might have been a riptide that caused the disappearance of the teenagers. However, he reveals the investigation is still ongoing.
Daughtry took to X, formerly Twitter, to update the public: "Earlier today, our NYPD officers frantically raced to the waters near Jacob Riis Park, where two kids entered and, unfortunately, have yet to return."
The commissioner revealed that numerous agencies responded to the incident including the Our Harbor and Aviation Units, TARU Drone Team, and Community Response Team who have partnered with FDNY, U.S. Park Police, OEM, and U.S. Coast Guard in efforts to bring the two teens missing.
He then added that a parent's worst nightmare is also the agency's worst nightmare.
Tragic Loss in Florida Waters Due To Deadly Rip Currents
The same day, a separate incident in Florida claimed the lives of three young men, further underscoring the dangers of rip currents.
The Bay County Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Harold Denzel Hunter, 24, Jemonda Ray, 25, and Marius Richardson, 24, all from Birmingham, Alabama. The men, who had just arrived with friends for a beach trip, were caught in a rip current at around 8 p.m. while swimming.
Sheriff Tommy Ford described the desperate efforts to rescue the men, which involved the U.S. Coast Guard, Bay County Emergency Services, and other agencies. Despite more than two hours of intensive search and rescue operations, all three men died after being pulled from the Gulf of Mexico and receiving medical care.
Ford expressed his sorrow, announcing with a heavy heart that the community had lost three tourists due to the incident. He added that he saw locals and members of the community gather at the beach yesterday to come together and aid the search.
The U.S. Coast Guard's Panama City station has since urged both locals and visitors to exercise extreme caution in Gulf waters, noting that rip currents can appear suddenly and pose a significant risk even on seemingly calm days.
Coast Guard Issues Warnings
These incidents come amid a particularly deadly week for swimmers along the East Coast and the South. Earlier, a Pennsylvania couple drowned at Stuart Beach on Florida's Hutchinson Island after being caught in a rip current.
The National Weather Service has issued a high-risk alert for rip currents along Florida's Gulf beaches, warning of "life-threatening rip currents" and dangerous surf conditions.
In response to the multiple tragedies, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Saturday that it had suspended its search for the missing teens off the coasts of New York and New Jersey after covering more than 600 square miles.
Jonathan Andrechik, commander of the Coast Guard's New York sector announced that the decision to suspend a search is always difficult and weighs heavily on all involved. Andrechik added that along with their partner agencies, they have conducted an exhaustive search.
With at least 11 fatalities attributed to rip currents as of June 9, the National Weather Service continues to stress the importance of beach safety and awareness.
These recent tragedies highlight the unpredictable and often deadly nature of rip currents, underscoring the need for vigilance among swimmers and beachgoers alike.
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