A Pennsylvania couple vacationing in Florida with their six children drowned after being caught in a rip current on Thursday, local authorities said.
The family of eight was visiting a beach on Hutchinson Island, a barrier island on Florida’s southeast coast, when the parents and two teenage children were swept away by a rip current while swimming, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office.
The two boys were able to escape the current, but their parents, Brian Waters, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, were not.
As drowning deaths rise, experts offer water safety tips for families and caregivers
A Pennsylvania couple and their six children vacationing on Hutchinson Island, Florida, drowned Thursday after being caught in a rip current, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. (Martin County Sheriff’s Office)
“The children tried to swim against the current to help their parents but it became too dangerous and they were forced to swim to shore,” the agency said in a Facebook post.
Waters and Wishard were found by Martin County Ocean Rescue crews and CPR was initiated on shore before they were transported to Cleveland Clinic North by Martin County Fire Rescue paramedics.
Beach Safety Tips: What to do in a rip current and how to stay safe around the water
“Life-saving efforts continued in the ambulance and at the hospital, with doctors making final efforts before pronouncing the couple dead,” MCSO said.
The family of eight was vacationing on Hutchinson Island, a barrier island off the southeast coast of Florida, when the parents and two teenage children were caught in a rip current. The two children were able to escape and swim to shore. (Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The Hutchinson Island travel information Facebook page posted about the tragedy late Thursday and shared the following tips on how to avoid rip currents and escape:
1. If the beach flag is red, don’t go in the water.
2. Even on green flag days, observe the water before diving in.
3. Do not enter areas where the waves are not breaking.
4. Always keep an eye on the water surface as rip currents change.
5. If you are caught in a rip current, stay calm and fight the current. Stay afloat, wave for help, and swim parallel to the shore.
The Hutchinson Island Travel Facebook page has photos of signs on the beach warning visitors about rip currents and how to avoid or escape them. (Hutchinson Island, Florida Facebook Page)
“These signs are posted at all guarded and unpatrolled beaches so if you are visiting please go to a guarded beach first and read these signs. If you are unsure please ask a lifeguard to show you what to look out for when spotting a rip current,” the post read.
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The sheriff’s office said a crisis intervention team was assisting the couple’s six children until other family members could arrive in Florida.
