Daytona Beach.Photo:Getty
Getty
A surfer died and another man is recovering following separate incidents in Florida’s Volusia County on Monday.
In the first incident, a 72-year-old man died while surfing off of Daytona Beach, Volusia County Beach Safety said, according toFOX affiliate WOFLandThe Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Volusia County Beach Safety Logistics Captain A.J. Miller said the victim became separated from his board and attempted to swim back to it before becoming unresponsive, per theNews-Journal.
Life-saving efforts were attempted, but the Daytona Beach man was eventually pronounced dead.
Miller said the victim was still being treated at the hospital as of Tuesday afternoon.
Volusia County Beach Safety did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
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Nine ocean-related deaths have occurred in Volusia County this year, Miller said, according to theNews-Journal.
Lifeguards conducted 178 rescues over Labor Day weekend this year, compared to just 16 in 2022, the captain toldWOFL.
“We’ll see swimmers coming out because the swells are big,” the captain explained, “they grab boards out the rafters, the attics, clean the dust off and they go in the water.”
If you find yourself caught in a rip current, the first step is to remain calm and avoid trying to fight through it.
“The most important thing to remember if you are ever caught in a rip current is not to panic,” according to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Ocean Service. “Continue to breathe, try to keep your head above water, and don’t exhaust yourself fighting against the force of the current.”
source: people.com
