Two youngsters drowned whereas swimming off Coney Island in Brooklyn as a thunderstorm rolled into the realm Friday night, the second such deadly episode at a New York Metropolis seashore in lower than a month.
Two ladies, ages 17 and 18, have been reported lacking after going into the water close to Stillwell Avenue shortly after 8 p.m., in response to the New York Metropolis Police Division. Rescue divers retrieved two individuals, who have been taken to the hospital in essential situation, police and hearth officers stated.
Each have been later pronounced lifeless on the hospital, in response to the police. Folks on the scene stated a person may need gone into the water to assist the youngsters, however that was decided to not have been true, a police spokesman stated.
The deaths, two weeks after two youngsters died swimming off the Rockaways in Queens, mark a very lethal begin to the summer season season at New York Metropolis seashores, the place drownings have been a perennial downside. With greater than two months remaining, the town matched final yr’s whole of 4 lives misplaced.
Forecasters had warned of a excessive threat of rip currents constructing within the space Friday night time. The episode was reported after lifeguards went off obligation at 6 p.m.; most up-to-date drownings have occurred outdoors the hours that lifeguards are posted, when swimming is technically prohibited.
Final July, a 15-year-old died whereas swimming off the Coney Island seashore, in response to the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s database of deaths linked to tear currents.
Rip currents kill greater than 100 individuals annually in the USA and account for many seashore rescues. Specialists advise calmly treading water with out making an attempt to get instantly again to shore, signaling for assist and swimming parallel to the seashore till reaching an space past the rip present.
Earlier this yr, metropolis officers introduced plans to make use of drones to assist with rescues and stop drownings, after a extreme lifeguard scarcity final summer season. The trouble would start in Coney Island, Mayor Eric Adams stated on the time.
