9 Die In N.J. Waters This Week As Mysterious, Deadly Summer Continues

You hear about it when you go to the beach this summer, more than you did in previous summers. People say "stay out of the water" even if the ocean is calm as a pond.

That's because people have been reading the headlines: 28 people have died in New Jersey waters in three months, 9 just this past week. On Saturday, the Coast Guard ended its search for one more person who was pulled away by the wind the day before while kitesurfing.

All the while, a sense of helplessness has prevailed as lawmakers, local officials and law enforcement are saying there's little they can do to stop the growing numbers of tragedies - even as they recognize that this tragic pattern is unusual.

Lawmakers and law enforcement, in particular, have noted that many of these tragedies have happened at pools and in the ocean when they have lacked lifeguards. In June, two Belmar girls died after swimming off the Ninth Avenue beach in Belmar while swimming without supervision.

Emily Gonzalez-Perez of Belmar

"How do you legislate someone from not following the rules?" said Sen. Anthony Bucco, R-Boonton.

Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, has advice for people who want to make sure their children are safe in the water: "Never take their eyes off their children."

"Ultimately, it comes down to the people," he said. "The parents, or those supervising the pool need to use common sense."

Some of these deaths, however, have defied explanation, with seemingly strong, healthy people dying in water that isn't always rough, and isn't always deep. And these incidents have also happened with lifeguards present.

Earlier this week, Brian Zwaan, 58, of Berwyn, Pennsylvania, who was senior vice president of commercial banking in Pennsylvania for WSFS Financial Corp., died after drowning off Sea Isle City on Monday, police said. A 74-year-old man died in the same town later in the week. The two victims were the 26th and 27th people to die in New Jersey waters this summer.

Read more: 28 Die In New Jersey Water Deaths In 3 Months As Trend Continues

Zwaan was found after officers from the Sea Isle City Police Department responded to the 86th Street beach on a report of a medical emergency at approximately 2:43 p.m. on Monday, police said. As patrol officers arrived on scene, lifeguards and good Samaritans were performing CPR on the victim.

Zwaan was transported to Cape Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:40 p.m., police said. An autopsy determined that Zwaan died of head and neck injuries that were complicated by drowning, police said.

Zwaan (lower, center)

Some of these incidents have also happened at motel and hotel pools, where lifeguards are not required to work under New Jersey state law. But lawmakers and law enforcement have no answers as to why they don't consider legislation that would require more lifeguards at pools.

Instead, Della Fave and Bucco said people should use common sense whether they're guarded or not. "You should always have some kind of companion with you," Bucco said.

Della Fave said "it only takes a second" for someone to get into some kind of distress in the water, and take water into their lungs that could drown them.

"It's like driving behavior - it's common sense. Don't swim where it's unguarded," he said. "The ocean is totally unforgiving place."

Here are the other incidents that have happened this week:

• The body of a swimmer who went missing off the Jersey Shore this week has been found, according to authorities. Jeffrey Wilkens, 31, of Illinois, was discovered by local citizens Thursday who saw his body floating in the water in Atlantic City near the former Revel casino, police said. Read more here...

• Brielle Police Chief Michael Palmer has confirmed that a 22-year-old man drowned early Tuesday in a school board member's backyard swimming pool on Shore Drive. The homeowner is listed as Tedd Vitale, a member of the Brielle Board of Education. Read more here....
• The body of a swimmer missing off Point Pleasant Beach has been found, local officials. Zuzana Oravcova, 24, of Slovakia was found Sunday in the area of Ocean Beach and Lavallette, according to Toms River police. Read more here...

Also:

• UPDATE: Body Found On Sea Bright Beach: Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office
• Boater Drowns Trying To Grab Hat From Lake Hopatcong
• Girl, 8, Dies After Discovered In Ocean County Pool At Graduation Party

Main photo: Zwaan (center, lower) photo courtesy of Stretch Funeral Home