A family vacationing in Florida came to a very tragic ending when a Pennsylvania couple drowned in the Atlantic Ocean in front of their six children. It happened on Thursday, June 20, off Hutchinson Island, about 120 miles north of Miami.
The couple, Brian Warter, aged 51, and Erica Wishard, aged 48, were accompanied by their mostly teenage children on a vacation in Florida and intended to spend the day at the beach.
Martin County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post:
"While in the water, the couple and two of the teens got swept out by a rip current. The kids were able to break the current and attempted to help their parents, but it became too dangerous and they were forced to swim ashore."
Courtesy Martin County Sheriff's Office - via Facebook
Martin County Ocean Rescue was able to reach the couple, get them to the shore and perform CPR until they were taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where life-saving efforts continued until doctors declared the couple deceased.
A Crisis Intervention Team Deputy helped the couple’s children throughout the day and evening as they waited for other family members to travel to Florida, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said.
Thursday morning, the sheriff's office posted on Facebook that there was a red flag warning at Stuart Beach indicating a high hazard. The agency wrote that rip currents were expected.
Following the drowning, flags were double red and the beach was closed for swimming, the Martin County Fire Rescue said.
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What are rip currents?
Rip currents are channels of water that can pull swimmers away from shore and farther out into the ocean, according to AccuWeather.
Rip currents can vary in width and strength. The currents can be extremely narrow, between 10 and 20 feet wide, or more than 10 times that width, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). They can also pull people out to sea at speeds higher than 5 miles per hour, which is faster than Olympic swimmers, according to the article from AccuWeather.
If caught in a rip current, follow these steps, but please always check the beach for any signs of rip currents and swim where there is a lifeguard.
More than 100 people a year are killed by rip currents, according to the United States Lifesaving Association. They are extremely dangerous and must be taken seriously.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, friends and loved ones.
Please always stay safe at the beach.
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