Teen Dies, 100-Plus Rescued While Swimming This Week In NJ: Video

The July 4 week has been a rough one for lifeguards, parents and many others this week as they've dealt with hundreds of rescues across the state.

One of the incidents was tragic. A South Jersey teen died Sunday after almost drowning in a pond over the weekend, police said.

The tragedy was at least the 10th water-related death in New Jersey since the beginning of May. Read more: 10 NJ Water Deaths Since May As Tragic Trend Continues

Rough seas along at the Jersey Shore, meanwhile, made lifeguards very busy as rip currents compelled them to restrict swimming areas in Ocean Grove. Asbury Park and elsewhere. The National Weather Service says the rip current risk for the Jersey Shore on July 4, however, is low.

Here is what happened, and where:

Sea Girt

Lifeguards made upwards of 60 rescues on Sunday and 40 on Saturday because of sandbars and holes. "Great job this weekend by our lifeguards preventing but also having to react and respond to rescues," the Sea Girt lifeguards said on Twitter.

The lifeguards filmed a 5:45 p.m., two-person rescue on Sunday and posted on Twitter. On Saturday, the lifeguards rescued a kite-surfer as layers of sand bars and holes were "keeping everyone on their toes."

Beach Haven

Beach Haven lifeguards made 17 rescues between Friday through Sunday, officials told nj.com An offshore storm created rip currents through the water, Beach Patrol Chief Mike Lawrence told the publication.

"Since we're a barrier island, we have sand bars and when the water finally eats through, whoever is there at that time may happen to be in trouble. It doesn't discriminate," Lawrence told nj.com.

Harvey Cedars

Multiple water rescues and a heat-related medical emergency happened on Friday, and a handful of rescues occurred on Saturday, according to the beach patrol.

Atlantic City

Two Atlantic City police officers were able to free a 10–year–old Philadelphia boy who was stuck in a wood groin as ocean waves crashed over him this past week, according to the police department's Facebook page.

Officers Darrell Catanio and Jonathan Walsh responded to the ocean at South Carolina Avenue at 8:09 p.m. on June 28 on a report of a swimmer who was screaming for help. The boy could not free himself and the water was chest deep, the report states. Read more...

Sea Isle City

"We had about 60 or so one-man, two-man fish-outs, but the water was relatively safe," Sea Isle Beach Patrol Chief Reeny Steele told nj.com, saying the shore was packed "wall to wall" over the weekend

Cape May

Cape May beach officials told nj.com that lifeguards worked to help eight or nine swimmers from the waves back to the beach.

Millville

In the South Jersey case, a 17-year-old Bridgeton boy was found unresponsive Friday after officers responded at 7 p.m. to a call about a possible drowning at Menantico Ponds in Millville, police said.

The teen, who was not identified, had gone swimming with three friends when he started to struggle, police said. A stranger and two friends pulled him from the pond, where the unidentified boy struggled in the deep end.

The boy was transported to Inspira Medical Center in Vineland and then to DuPont Hospital for treatment.

He was pronounced dead on Sunday. An investigation into the incident is continuing.

Water safety tips

The trend has prompted some health advocates to remind people about the importance of being safe while swimming.

The Salvation Army and the Red Cross have even joined forces, putting together a program that provides swim lessons and water safety training that are intended to be affordable.

New Jersey doesn't require lifeguards at hotel and motel pools, and a number of incidents have involved unguarded swimmers. Diane Concannon, a spokesman for the New Jersey Red Cross, however, said people should always swim with a guard present.

"People need to learn to swim," she said. "Parents need to keep an eye on their children. People need to always keep their children at arm's length. Always swim with a lifeguard present."

Sea Girt lifeguards photo