Ocean Rescue officials in Martin County want beachgoers to double, even triple-check, warnings before entering the water.
This comes after a couple on vacation, who now leave behind six children, drowned in a rip current on Hutchinson Island.
WPTV reporter Victor Jorges spoke with ocean rescue officials Friday morning about the tragedy and the importance of swimming by a lifeguard.
Jorges asked Martin County Ocean Rescue Chief Ian Montgelas if the couple had been swimming at a guarded beach, would the outcome been different.
“100% definitely,” Montgelas said.
The victims, Brian Warter and Erica Wishart, as well as two of their children, were caught in a rip current near the 100 block of Northeast Tradewind Lane.
The children were able to get out of the current, but their parents could not. WPTV was told that their other children were yelling from the shore, telling their parents to stay calm.
A lifeguard from a nearby beach came to help and the couple was eventually taken to the hospital, but they died despite medical efforts.
Ocean Rescue officials said if you’re swimming by a guarded beach, lifeguards can easily and quickly assist you in an emergency.
“When you go to the beach, swim near a lifeguard. That is the No. 1 rule. The second rule is when in doubt don’t go out,” Montgelas said. “From the moment that a swimmer enters the water, it can be a matter of a few minutes, even seconds before they go under.”
They said your best bet at escaping a rip current is to swim parallel to the shore until you’re out of the current, rather than toward the sand.
Yell for help and if you’re swimming in a guarded beach, help will come to you quickly.
Montgelas said they were flying a red flag at the beach Thursday, which means the conditions in the water are dangerous. The same red flag is also flying Friday.
Even when green flags are flying, he said swimmers need to be extremely careful since the ocean is always unpredictable.