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Sadly, two teenage sisters who were pulled from the water at Coney Island have been declared deceased. The incident occurred in New York.
On Friday night around 8 p.m., two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, entered the water after the lifeguards had gone off duty.
Boats and divers were dispatched to the scene by emergency responders.
As per Danny Quinones, a witness of the incident, he saw many police officers and firefighters rushing towards the scene. He also mentioned that the family members of the victims arrived at the same area but were redirected to the boardwalk. According to him, the whole situation was extremely tragic.
At first, it was assumed that there was a third person in the water, but upon further investigation, it was discovered that there was no one else present.
Beachgoers have been consistently warned by officials to refrain from entering the water if there are no lifeguards on duty.
Teenage boys rescued from same beach
In a span of less than a day, the beach near West 22nd witnessed another incident where two teenage boys had to be rescued from the water.
According to authorities, two teenagers, aged 14 and 16, entered the water at approximately 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, after the lifeguards had completed their shift.
The police reported that the 14-year-old refused medical assistance while the 16-year-old was transported to Coney Island Hospital and is currently in stable condition.
As the summer heat brought an uncomfortable level of humidity, families flocked to the beach to cool down. The crowded shoreline was filled with people enjoying the sun and waves. However, when first responders arrived, many beach-goers speculated that something had happened.
Jacqueline Cintron, hailing from Pennsylvania, recounted the event, “Two fire trucks were present at the scene. The first went one way, and shortly after, the second one arrived. Then, a helicopter landed, and we were already aware of the situation.”
According to Marilyn Pastoriza from Tampa, as soon as they spotted the helicopter, they immediately realized that something must have gone wrong.
Quinones shared his experience of being cautious of rip currents as they have the potential to push one back with great force, making it difficult to swim through them. “I just try to watch out for the rip currents because they will push you back very hard, and it’s hard to get through it,” said Quinones.
Swim safety in focus in NYC
Only a fortnight ago, Elyjha Chandler and Christian Perkins, both teenagers, lost their lives while being swept away by a wave at Jacob Riis Beach. Following their tragic demise, there was an extensive search operation conducted by authorities to locate them. This unfortunate incident has led to Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and several other leaders demanding immediate changes to enhance safety measures at the city beaches.
The Parks Department rejected a proposal to increase the hours of lifeguards on duty at beaches, citing concerns over their susceptibility to exhaustion and fatigue. According to them, the job already demands long hours in the sun, and extending those hours would only add to their stress levels, compromising their ability to effectively monitor the beaches and ensure the safety of beachgoers.
