Woman drowns at Seaside Park beach continuing deadly weekend on the shore
SEASIDE PARK — A summery September afternoon on the Jersey Shore was marred by the second drowning of the weekend on Sunday.
A 44-year-old Ocean County woman died after being pulled out of the ocean at the O Street beach in Seaside Park around 2 p.m., according to two law enforcement officials. Two off duty nurses at the beach tried to help revive the woman who was pronounced dead at Community Medical Center in Toms River.
In addition to the Seaside Park drowning, Long Branch Police said a 34-year-old man died while swimming at Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch on Saturday night. The the woman's identity was not disclosed.
The Coast Guard reported the rescue of two swimmers off the 4th Avenue Beach in Belmar just before 6 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. Two lifeguards and an off-duty police officer swam out to assist the swimmers in distress. The Coast Guard’s Station Shark River sent a boat, which brought all five people back to shore.
A High Rip Current Risk was in effect at all Jersey Shore beaches on Sunday because of Hurricane Maria to the south churning up the waves all along the east coast. Dangerous waves of 3-6 feet should continue for most of the week, according to Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow.
Ocean County Sheriff Mike Mastronardy said there were "numerous rescues throughout the county. Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Island, Point Pleasant." There were 35 rescues on Belmar beaches alone over the weekend, according to a tweet by Mayor Matt Doherty, who closed his borough's beaches to swimmers.
The Coast Guard helped with another rescue in Belmar on Sunday off the 16th Avenue beach.
"Late summer and early fall are the peak of hurricane season in North America and they do not need to make landfall to have an impact. The large swells generated by these storms can create strong rip currents that pose a serious threat to swimmers and small personal water craft," Lt. Chris Shivock, the command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay said.
"Busy day on the beaches," Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden told New Jersey 101.5. He said the ANSWER (Area Neetwork Of Shore Water Emergency Responders) team rescued 12, and treated one person.
There were rescue personnel monitoring Belmar's beaches all weekend as temperatures climbed into the 80s under sunny skies. Island Beach State Park's parking lot was full before noon on Sunday.
Manasquan's Office of Emergency Management tweeted the Manasquan Fire Rescue responded to "numerous water rescues from Avon to Manasquan."
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com.
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Contact reporter Dan Alexander at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com.