Series of Unfortunate Events Strike Swimming World as New York Loses Second Teen to Drowning

A fun day at the beach can turn tragic swiftly with the alarming rate of drowning incidents. Among US children 5 to 19, drowning ranks as the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death. In 2018, nearly 900 children and youth under 20 lost their lives to drowning. Also, over 7200 sought treatment at emergency departments for drowning events, with 35% requiring hospitalization or further care. Toddlers and male adolescents face the greatest risk.

Along similar lines, recently, a teen went swimming at Coney Island Beach and was swept away by a rip current, and is still missing. Another heartbreaking case occurred as a 19-year-old boy drowned while swimming near Jacob Riis Park. This case makes it the second time a teen drowned this week.?

Swimming tragedy strikes New York again this week

On the night of July 28, according to Gothamist, tragedy struck as a 19-year-old boy, Amadou Thiam drowned. The incident happened while he was swimming near Jacob Riis Park on the Rockaway Peninsula. Responding to reports of drowning, officials arrived on the scene around 7:45 p.m. Moreover, Thiam’s body washed ashore approximately two hours later at 9:45 p.m. He was pronounced dead at Coney Island Hospital in Brooklyn.?

The presence of lifeguards at the time of the incident remains unclear. However, lifeguard hours for the swimming beach at Jacob Riis typically end at 6 p.m. It is stated on the National Park Service’s website. Additionally, authorities resumed their search for a 15-year-old boy who went missing. He too, went missing while swimming off the beach at Coney Island. The authorities were successful in rescuing another teen who was with him on 27 July 2023.

Search called off for missing teen swimmer

As per Gothamist, the search for a 15-year-old boy who went missing while swimming at Coney Island has been called off by city officials. Two fire department divers responded to the scene, searching for the swimmer in the water, but unfortunately, after an hour, they were unable to find him. The NYPD took over the search, but still, the teen could not be recovered. The parks department officially called off the search around 3:30 p.m.?

Read More:?Days After Michael Phelps Revealed the Horrifying Drowning Numbers, 34-Year-Old Loses Life While Swimming at Home

On a brighter note, a 16-year-old boy who was with the missing teen was rescued by civilians and is now in stable condition. The FDNY reported having a lifeguard on duty at the time. To alert beachgoers, signage and red flags have been placed around the beach to indicate the area is closed for swimming. Parks department members are conducting regular sweeps to ensure people stay out of the water.

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