3 Swimmers Rescued From Seaside Heights Rip Currents In 3 Days

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — Three people have been rescued from the ocean in Seaside Heights in the last three days after they were pulled out from shore by strong rip currents, Seaside Heights police said Thursday.

On Wednesday evening, two Middlesex County teenagers had to be rescued after they got caught in a rip current at Sumner Avenue, Seaside Heights Detective Steve Korman said.

Damien Ruiz, 18, of Jamesburg, and Jason Chirieoga, 19, of East Brunswick, both were evaluated at the scene by Tri-Boro First Aid and then issued summonses for swimming without a lifeguard present, Korman said.

Police received several 911 calls shortly after 7 p.m. reporting two swimmers in distress. When they arrived, officers found one swimmer had been pulled out of the water by an employee of Sand Tropez, one of the boardwalk businesses.

Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and Lavallette water rescue teams arrived and Seaside Heights sent a diver into the water to secure the second victim until a jet ski could be deployed to bring him to safety. Both refused further medical treatment, Korman said.

Ocean County Scanner News first reported the incident.

Wednesday's incident followed on that happened just before 7 p.m. on Monday, where a 35-year-old Seaside Heights man got caught in a rip current and was pulled 250 yards from shore at Dupont Avenue, Korman said.

The Seaside Heights, Seaside Park and Lavallette water rescue teams responded and Seaside Heights Scuba Team sent two members out on a jetski with a sled to bring the man back to shore.

That man, a Lincoln Avenue resident, was treated at the scene by Tri-Boro First Aid and refused further medical attention, Korman said.

The incidents come just over two weeks after a New Brunswick man died in the rough surf at the Fremont Avenue beach.

Amajeets Parmar, 44, died after he was hit by a rough wave about 7:15 p.m. on Sept. 15, while his wife and son were nearby on the beach, authorities said at the time.

The warm weather continues to lure people to the beach, but authorities continue to warn about the dangers of swimming on unguarded beaches. Rip currents have been consistently dangerous for more than a month, thanks to nor'easters and the effects of Hurricane Florence.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com

Follow us on Facebook. Click here to like our page.

Image via Shutterstock