UPDATE: Ocean Water Search For Missing Swimmer In Seaside Park Called Off
Coast Guard, area fire departments, lifeguards on scene off O Street beach; lifeguards start manning beaches on Thursday
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Seaside Park police, the Coast Guard, lifeguards and fire officials have ended a search for a missing swimmer who apparently disappeared in the surf off O Street around 3 p.m. this afternoon, Police Chief Francis Larkin said.
Larkin confirmed that the missing swimmer is an 18-year-old male who had gone to the unguarded beach this afternoon with three other friends.
“Local scuba teams and fire departments responded," Larkin said. "The U.S. Coast Guard sent two cutters down, along with helicopters. The State Police also responded to the area.”
Borough lifeguards start full-time on Thursday, he said.
"The lifeguards begin their summer tomorrow," Larkin said.
The three friends were pulled from the surf, but the fourth failed to surface, he said.
Rip currents in the area were especially strong this afternoon, the chief said.
"It's very unusual for this time of year," Larkin said. "It's usually September when we see this."
Coast Guard helicopters hovered over the ocean, and rescue personnel appeared to be conducting a grid search.
“The search has been suspended at this time by the local fire departments and pending any further developments during the night the search may resume at first light tomorrow,” Larkin said.
There were roughly 33 lifeguards in the water up until 6:49 p.m., conducting a line search heading north towards towards Seaside Heights.
Larkin said swimmers should be aware of rip currents and know what to do when they they are in one.
“People should know before they go," he said. "Know your surroundings. Get on the Internet and find it all out. Know what you’re getting into before you get into it.” he said.
Due to the high risk of rip currents, lifeguards made between 8-10 saves as well as helping to conduct the search.
Come back to Patch later for more information on this developing story.
y o y in this world
4:18 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
omg this has to stop. a 24 yr old young man just lost his life on monday. went in after a boat motor. please stop beware of the water
a l i
4:28 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
If you ever get caught by rip current, let it take you out and don't panic and don't fight it that's why people drfown.. they fight it and tire out. Swim parallel to the beach and then swim back in. If you get tired, float on your back until you feel you're able to swim again.
Joe
4:32 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Sure, the town will take your money for parking, they'll pay badge checkers to take $10 a day to go on the beach, but they won't pay lifeguards at the end of June to be present during the week? What's Seaside Park's motto, "Pay us and drown yourself!"??? These are kids! There must be guards.
bobby
7:41 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Joe, so should we have guards year round? What about the kids that drown in the evening after the guards go down? Maybe we should pay guards 24/7? Or better yet, lets build a giant fence around the ocean and lock it @ night so nobody can access it when guards are not present.
Come on now, you can't protect people from their own stupidity. If you can't swim and you go in the ocean and drown, that's your fault, not the towns.
Donna Griffin
9:10 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Joe - You're a bit harsh. Not easy to staff a beach the size of SSP with a full contingency of guards until schools are out as the vast majority of lifeguards are students. Since the lifeguards were not on duty yet, the badge checkers weren't either so admission to the beach was free. The real problem is that teens think that they are immortal and take risks. Unfortunately, they don't get to do this day over. It's very sad and my prayers are with his family. My prayers, however, are also with the lifeguards who will be reporting tomorrow morning to keep the public safe. PLEASE HEED THEIR WHISTLES PEOPLE!!!
cyn
2:26 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
well said,,,joe o...and to donna griffin thinking your immortal is a normal part of being young,,,,and school is out for many....jersey beaches should have life guards starting on memorial day weekends...this happy young man just graduated hs on friday...he received the marines scholar athletic award... stop blaming and start demanding safety at the beaches...our families deserve it!!!!....holding vigil in bayonne ...a bhs wrestling fan
Donna Griffin
6:41 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
cyn - My kids have guarded at that beach and others in northern Ocean County for a combined total of 18 years. If you want to extend the season, who do you propose sits on those stands? Perhaps if you re-read my post you'll notice that I said the VAST majority (at least 80%+) of lifeguards are college and high school students. Not many high school students are out before Memorial Day and most college students are gone well before Labor Day. The balance of the guards are school teachers who work there during the summer and they are never out by Memorial Day. It seems that these accidents have been on the rise in recent years. The beach patrols have maintained the same hours of operation since I was a kid without too much incident. Do we accomodate the fact that some kids are going to test their luck by overburdening shore town communities with the liability of supervision or do we warn the kids that there are serious consequences to swimming in unguarded waters? All these boys had to do was walk a few streets north and they would have been well protected by the Seaside Hts. guards. This young man's choice was a bad one.
A Resident
9:05 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
"There were roughly 33 lifeguards in the water up until 6:49 p.m" - confused, if there were no lifeguards...how are there 33 in the water?
Donna Griffin
10:18 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
A Resident - The guards were bumped down from Seaside Heights.
WhyOhWhy
11:18 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Donna Griffin ... this is all going on deaf ears, unfortunately.
They are always looking to blame someone.
Every year it gets worse and worse bc these kids have less and less fear and have the mentality that they are better then the law. Does this way of thinking start at home ? Most likely!
If you choose to make a bad choice you must also be prepared to pay the price for that foolish choice. End of story.
Donna Griffin
12:40 pm on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Amen, RedoRed. It's called consequence. I guarantee that the boys who were with him will never risk swimming in unguarded ocean waters again. Prayers to all families involved.
Joe Spano
4:59 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
This incident happened 100 feet in front of man..two men were saved, which I witnessed but the other victim must've slipped under before the first man became an active drowning victim.
I saw what was going on when I noticed the first man, he was saved and then I think they realized all too late that their friend had been taken under. It happens so quickly :/
Pat
5:00 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Beaches were open weekends until June 23, then beaches will be open 7 days a week. If there are no guards you don't need badges and you do swim at your own risk. It has been all over the news that the rip currents are bad and you should not go swimming. It is very sad some friends came down for a day at the beach and it turned tragic. People must respect the ocean and the warnings about swimming.
WhyOhWhy
6:19 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
This is true Pat !
They don't obey the laws/rules... theythink they are above it all and then pay the ultimate price!
More good advice from a l i too!
jenny
6:25 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I wish there were more ocean safety awareness info put out there to people. No matter how good a swimmer you might be, none of us are any match for the ocean during rough surf or rip currents. Very sad that we keep losing people in this way.
bobby
7:41 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Darwinism
Dainty
6:33 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Lets invest in signs that TEACH people how to get out of a riptide! Most people dont know! Swim parallel! Shame*
bobby
7:46 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
There are signs @ each beach entrance I believe, and @ various points on the beach. THey look like this http://www.seaside-heights.org/img/beach/rip-current-safety.jpg
charlotte
10:12 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
To be clear this means parallel to the shore which would be not towards the shore or away but along the shore until you are out of the current.
14yrinbrick
7:04 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Wasnt there also a rescue in Asbury around the same time??
nascarfan
7:38 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I think that person was found and is okay (not positive) but there's a search going on there (Asbury Park) now (7:30 PM) for a missing swimmer.
Laci
7:20 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Rent a jet ski you get a life vest, rent a crabbing rowboat you get a floation devise. Buying a daily beach access fee should now include renting a life vest.
Maria
9:28 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
They dont allow any flotation devices in the ocean and for good reason. If you need one you shouldn't be out there in the first place
Patrick Sayjack
7:25 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I think most people are aware of how to get out of a rip..It's just when they finally surface out of the water they panic after seeing how far from shore they are and forget what actions to take.They waste so much energy panicking that they are unable to swim back
i don't get it??
7:30 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Was a lifeguard...people don't listen and unfortunately it takes too many victims to get it through their heads...and even then, you can't tell anyone anything because they know everything...so sad...I really wish people in this state were required to take swimming as part of a physical education class...and I also wish that people who don't live near the beach would stop risking their lives...the ocean is relentless, and even the best swimmers struggle sometimes...heartbreaking.
bobby
7:53 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
It was 2 foot and glassy today. Look at the cam http://thesurfersview.com/live-beach-cams/central-new-jersey/ortley-beach
Not exactly what you would call treacherous.
nascarfan
8:13 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
They're caused by water rushing back out from the shoreline through a break in a sand bar. The ocean doesn't have to be treacherous for them to occur, although that's when they're most common. They can also occur during low tide. This swimmer was reported missing around 3 PM and low tide at Seaside Park was 2:38 PM this afternoon. I'm not claiming to be an expert here. I did a little reading on the subject and I'm just passing it along.
Lisa
8:12 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The cam doesn't show the currents. I was at Brick beach and they were dong rescue after rescue. Teenage boys ALWAYS think they will be fine.
bobby
8:27 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
A rip on a day like today is a barely noticeable current.
Vee
8:14 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Ok so do u think it should be a law to wear life jackets when going in the ocean? Do you think it would save alot of lifes? I dunno it's just a thought!
bobby
8:20 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Ban the ocean, it's too dangerous.
diane
8:25 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
its not what you see on top of the water that you have to watch out for...it whats under it...like ummm the rip current...the ocean is like some people i know...beautiful on the outside but underneath it can be so ugly...
bobby
8:31 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
umm... the rips are clearly visible on the top of the water.
bobby
8:30 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Its ugly if you are from Patterson and forget to put your swimmies on.
This debate comes up every time this happens, people are always looking to put the blame on someone other than the individual that assumed the risk and went swimming without guards being present.
jenny
9:53 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Someone lost their life here. I don't think it is appropriate for you to put your two cents in nasty comments on here. Sure, it is the individuals responsibility to follow warnings, etc....but nobody goes into the ocean planning to disappear. Very crude remarks.
WhyOhWhy
11:32 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Ya know what Jenny? Maybe people should go into the water with that EXACT thought! Maybe they should be leary and respectful of the ocean and then MAYBE so many senseless lives wouldn't be lost !
These aren't crude comments these are the cold hard facts that people DON'T want to hear... yes its sad someone lost their life so young, but it was no ones fault but their own... sad but true.
WhyOhWhy
11:59 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
First of all bobby its PATERSON spelt with ONE "T". And second of all Its ugly when anyone goes into the ocean and cannot swim to save their own life. NOT just from Paterson! Its amazing, if you didn't have these people coming 'down the shore' to spend their money making revenue, you would be bitchin and moaning how high your taxes are.
Thats was a stupid thing to say !
i don't get it??
8:50 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
The ocean looked calm today, however it wasn't...at all...messy white caps on a calm ocean are a sign...so are the rivers that form along the shoreline during low tide, and between tides...if you see these, be aware.
rere
11:38 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
White caps? It was like a million deg. with a light offshore wind
Joe Robertson
8:57 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I am a lifeguard in point pleasant and this past week has been one after another with rips. They are clearly visible from the top of the water (if you know what your looking for) and it's easy to say swim parrallel to shore but most people don't even realize they are in one. STOP SWIMMING AFTER 5 PM OR ON UNGUARDED BEACHES
Ken
9:14 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Life Jackets for Beach goers!
What a joke!
Maria
9:31 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Thank you!!!
rere
10:06 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
I wear a helmet and a condom when I go swimming
rere
10:07 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
And my glasses and shoes so the crabs don't bite my toes.
so sad
10:34 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Just Dont be to cheap to buy a badge for the day... Is the less then 10$ worth you or a loved ones live... ?? its been all over the news about how bad the ripp currents are.
as a life time swimmer in the ocean & as a sport I STILLL swim by the life guards & hed the warnings of the ocean( As I also have cought my children)
ONLY A RESIDENT
10:54 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Unfortunately so sad, some just can't afford the fees to get on the beach they love so much. It is so sad...though it is reality.
rere
11:07 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Charlotte, how is the wage relevant?
so sad
10:36 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
*rip current
so sad
10:37 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
BTW feel so sad for the family who lost a loved one tonight...heart goes out to them
Lifeguard Joe
10:46 pm on Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Life jackets are dangerous in shore line settings. 1>head and neck injuries are more likely to occur as the added floatation greatly increases the impact of beach break upon the wearer, 2> If you lose your footing wearing a life jacket you are much more likely to be swept with the current at an accelerated rate. 3> life jackets offer a false sense of security to the bather causing the bather to take on a greater degree of risk. Life vest used repeated in the ocean are subject to rapid deterioration and can fail in the forces presented by a wave. 4> Life vest are dangerous because the user cannot duck under move quickly to avoid breaking waves and detritus. 5> People are less likely to pay as much attention to the condition of someone in their party who is waring a life vest then they are to someone who is not.
sha
8:07 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Are "NO SWIMMING: RIP CURRENTS" signs placed on unguarded beaches? Seems like an inexpensive way to save lives.
i don't get it??
8:38 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
@rere...the wind switched and went out of the SE yesterday...and the river with the whitecaps going AGAINST the regular east to west direction of the tide...that's the riptide...we were there all day yesterday, and the wind switched around noon ...the rips became very obvious if you knew what you were looking for...especially when the sandbars came up at low tide.
Shawn Smith
8:44 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
If you want to know more about how rip currents are formed, what to look out for to spot a rip current, or how to get out of a rip current, this is a neat video I found online:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9OMIKsTuqY
Eagleguy
9:21 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Are seaside park beaches closed today?
Shawn Smith
11:22 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
According to Seaside Park Borough Hall, beaches are open today.
june bug
10:20 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
It's Sad that we have become a society that always looks to blame someone...its a terrible loss. We know the Ocean can do what it wants, there is never a "safe" time to swim. If you go in unguarded you are risking your life! It's not realistic to say lifeguards all year or life jackets....ridiculous...its a terrible loss and that's what we should be concerned about, because the only way to prevent this, is to STAY OUT of the water on unguarded beaches...
Catherine Galioto
10:55 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
Here is a June 21 update to this article; the search resumed today: http://tomsriver.patch.com/articles/search-resumes-for-missing-swimmer-in-seaside-park
Laura Ann
11:56 am on Thursday, June 21, 2012
All this yipping and yapping. To blame the town because a 18 year old man decided to swim with his buddies is the stupiest thing I heard. Mother Nature swallows alot of people...it was his time. We can sit here and think...why didnt his friends dive in to find him?? Life guard or no life guard it was not to be. Why didnt these men heed warning signs? Dont they watch the news? Mother Nature has taken many. His time was up. Why didnt they watch the movie "Jaws"...you know they would of went in a pool instead of the ocean. It is sad...and his friends and family will never be the same. My yipping and yapping point is...that no one is to blame...it was Mother Nature who took him. May he R.I.P.....