Teen Drowns While Swimming at Ocean City Inlet

A teen from Virginia reportedly died while swimming in Ocean City Tuesday evening.

After 6 p.m. on Tuesday, a 911 caller reported a swimmer in distress at the Ocean City Inlet, according to WUSA 9.

Jose Maudiel Hernandez, 18, of Manassas, VA, had been visiting the inlet with his family and was trying to swim back to shore when he was caught in a rip current, according to The Washington Post. Rip currents are powerful currents that pull people away from shore.

A wave went over Hernandez, who did not resurface, The Baltimore Sun reported. Within 18 minutes, first responders located him, according to WUSA 9.

Hernandez was taken to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin, where he was declared deceased, WBOC reported.

This was the third fatality in Ocean City waters in as many months related to rip currents:

• An 18-year-old from Montgomery County died June 2 near the 137th Street beach.
• A 17-year-old Parkville resident lost his life June 13 by the 92nd Street beach.

The beach patrol said there were 150 water rescues in Ocean City on Tuesday, Aug. 26, due to rip currents, which officials attributed to the approaching Hurricane Cristobal, WJZ reported. Swimming restrictions were placed in effect at 2:30 p.m., according to Delmarva Now.

Waves are expected to be twice the normal height until Friday evening due to Cristobal, the National Weather Service reports.

Ocean City Beach Patrol Capt. Butch Arbin said swimmers should not venture further than knee-deep water because of the conditions, according to The Washington Post. Arbin encouraged people to check with lifeguards before going into the water.

Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguards monitor the beaches from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. during the season. When Hernandez went missing after 6 p.m., off-duty lifeguards were called back to help locate him.

As the summer winds down, the number of lifeguards on duty during regular hours decreases by approximately 40 percent because many of them are students and teachers who return to school, according to WUSA 9. As a result, the distance between patrolled lifeguard stands increases, WBOC reported, and people should make sure they are in front of a lifeguard stand if they plan to get in the water.

Related:

• How to Get Out of a Rip Current
• Maryland Beachgoers Warned of Rip Current Risk from Cristobal
• Parkville Teen Dies After Rip Current Incident in Ocean City
• Name Released of Montgomery Teen Killed in Ocean City Riptide

Photo Credit: Ocean City Inlet cam; Aug. 27, 2014.