OC Beach Patrol Captain On Recent Drowning Deaths: ‘I Personally Feel The Impact Of Every Loss’

OCEAN CITY — A 17-year-old male drowned in the ocean at 92ndStreet last Friday afternoon, marking the second time in less than two weeks a teen visiting the resort was lost in the sea and the first time in seven years a swimmer drowned while lifeguards were on duty.

Around 2 p.m. last Friday, an unidentified 17-year-old male got caught in a rip current just off the beach at 92nd Street and quickly became submerged in the water. An Ocean City Beach Patrol Surf Rescue Technician (SRT) was the first to enter the water in search of the missing swimmer and was soon joined by multiple public safety entities.

The water rescue included roughly 30 rescue swimmers from the OCBP, the Ocean City Fire Department, the Ocean City Police Department, the Coast Guard and the DNR, who walked arm-in-arm searching in vain for the distressed swimmer. A Maryland State Police helicopter joined the search from the air and a single-engine aircraft participating in the Ocean City Air Show also offered assistance in the air during the search.

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