An 18-year-old man swimming at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland died after struggling and falling unconscious in the water.
Assateague Island is split between Maryland and Virginia.
The teen victim was with another swimmer on Thursday when they started having trouble while swimming away from the shoreline in an area 150 yards away from the lifeguarded portion of the seashore, the National Park Service said in a press release.
A relative of the victim told on-duty lifeguards that two swimmers were struggling, and the lifeguards were able to successfully rescue one of the swimmers. Responders also got the 18-year-old out of the water and began CPR since he was unconscious and unresponsive. An ambulance took him to a hospital for treatment, where he was pronounced dead.
NPS did not name the deceased teen or the other swimmer involved in the incident. The park service did not say whether the 18-year-old drowned or if he suffered another medical issue before becoming unconscious while in the water.
“We ask our visitors to never venture too far from shore and pay attention to wind and currents which can transport you long distances quickly,” NPS said in the statement.
