Crews looking for lacking swimmer in Ocean City, New Jersey, Coast Guard says

Crews are actively looking for a swimmer who went lacking in Ocean City, New Jersey, Monday evening, the Coast Guard stated. 

The Coast Guard stated it acquired a report from Ocean City Beach Rescue round 5 p.m. of a lacking 19-year-old man final seen on a boogie board close to tenth Street and the Boardwalk.

The 19-year-old and one other particular person had been within the water on boogie boards roughly 200 toes from the shore, in line with the Coast Guard. 

One of the individuals was rescued by Ocean City Beach Rescue, whereas one other stays lacking, the Coast Guard stated. 

The particular person rescued informed crews that the lacking male was final seen dropping his boogie board earlier than being hit by a wave and failing to resurface, the Coast Guard stated.

Ocean City Beach Rescue is main the search, whereas the Coast Guard is aiding. 

Local lifeguard, EMT and water security professional Bruckner Chase warns in regards to the modifications alongside the Jersey Shore on account of seaside erosion.

Chase stated he has shut ties to Upper Township in Cape May County. The township misplaced its seaside patrol headquarters due to the “most dramatic erosion I’ve ever seen,” he stated.

He stated seaside erosion has brought on steep drop-offs that make attending to a seaside in sure places harmful and in addition uncovered rocks and jetties that had been beforehand lined.

“Depending on the tide cycle, those areas may be hidden underwater or more exposed,” Chase stated. “But if you’re going out into the water at high tide, there may be submerged dangers that if you are boogie boarding or you’re on a wave, you can get driven into the sand or driven into a hard object that could traumatically impact you, cause traumatic, life-changing injuries even without it becoming a fatal drowning.”

Experts additionally stress the significance of going within the water when lifeguards are on responsibility.

In Ocean City, seashores will not be guarded for the season till this weekend.

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