A teenager tragically drowned while swimming with his family at Hampton Beach, New Hampshire, officials reported. The 17-year-old lost his life after he and his 61-year-old father were caught in a strong ocean current on Sunday evening, as per authorities.
The New Hampshire State Police Marine Patrol stated that they received a report of a possible drowning at about 6:45 p.m. Witnesses mentioned the teen was carried away from the shore by a strong current while enjoying a swim with his family.
The father reportedly entered the water in an attempt to rescue his son but also found himself in distress.
A lifeguard patrols the beach during a sunny afternoon at Hampton Beach in Hampton, NH. (Nicholas Pfosi for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Patrick Murphy, chief of the New Hampshire State Beach Patrol, noted, “The sudden rip currents around high tide caused a lot of the sand to shift, something we typically don’t experience here. Some days, there have been 40 to 60 rescues, but having over 140 in just a week is quite unusual.”
Officials explained that the unpredictability of rip currents can lead to varying numbers of rescues in a day, mentioning that while 40, 50, or 60 rescues in one day are plausible, exceeding 140 is not common.
The United States Lifesaving Association highlights that rip currents result in over 100 fatalities annually, posing a significant risk for beach visitors. NOAA reports that tens of thousands of individuals are saved from rip currents each year.
The beachgoers were rescued from rip currents from Tropical Depression Dexter, and more rip currents are expected from Hurricane Erin.
Lifeguards emphasized that the best way to survive a rip current is to remain calm and avoid fighting against it.
Murphy advised, “It’s best to swim parallel to the shore to escape rip currents. Attempting to head straight back to shore will exhaust you as you battle the current.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the New Hampshire State Beach Patrol for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides, and migrant crime. Story tips: stepheny.price@fox.com.
