Swimmer, caught in rip tide, drowns off Spring Lake

Swimmer, caught in rip tide, drowns off Spring Lake

Authorities searching for a second possible swimmer

By MARGARET F. BONAFIDE
STAFF WRITER
http://app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080908/NEWS/80908005
A swimmer pulled from the waters off the borough beach late Sunday afternoon has been pronounced dead, and authorities are continuing to search for a second possible victim, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Crystalynn Kneen said.

The Coast Guard received a call at 5:06 p.m. reporting two 40-year-old swimmers were caught in a rip tide. One swimmer, a male who has not been identified, was recovered unconscious by locals, given CPR and transferred to emergency medical personnel for treatment.

The search continues today for a possible second swimmer, Kneen said.

Two rescue boat crews from Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet, a rescue helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City and members of the Spring Lake Police Department and Beach Patrol conducted the search Sunday.

In the days following Tropical Storm Hanna's landfall, the waters have been extremely dangerous, and boaters, surfers and swimmers were warned to use extreme caution. Even without the strong winds associated with the storm, maritime conditions may remain dangerous, the Coast Guard said. Strong rip tides may still be present along beaches, and the potential exists for minor flooding in bays, sounds and inland waterways.