A 14-year-old boy drowned while swimming in the turbulent ocean waters of Far Rockaway, Queens, New York on Sunday evening, July 2.
The incident took place near Beach 75th Street around 5:45 pm, shortly after the beach had shut down for the day due to severe weather conditions.
Witnesses at the scene, visibly upset by the unfolding tragedy, shared graphic descriptions of the young boy being pulled from the water, showing signs of grave distress. They described him as “blue from head to toe” and foaming at the mouth.
Facing the force of stormy seas, the young boy struggled underwater for a significant amount of time before assistance arrived. Among the responders was a retired lifeguard who was alerted to the situation by the distinctive emergency whistle signals.
Basia Lewandowski, a retired lifeguard who was helping a friend, an active lifeguard, at the time of the incident, elaborated, “Long whistles or case whistles, as we call them, are signals for emergencies.”
While Lewandowski coordinated with the shore team, her friend and other responders made a desperate attempt to reach the boy amidst the wild waves. Unfortunately, by the time they reached him, the rescue effort had turned into a recovery mission.
Speaking about the tragic scene, Lewandowski stated, “He had ingested a lot of water. He was underwater for around four or five minutes.”
The boy’s mother was on the shore, hopelessly praying for her son’s safety as the event unfolded. The tragic incident left a lasting impact not only on her but also on the rescuers, who were visibly shaken.
The Parks Department clarified that lifeguards had been off duty at the time following the beach’s early closure around 5 pm due to thunder and lightning. Red flags were raised to warn beachgoers about the hazardous conditions for swimming.
The identity of the 14-year-old has not been released, and no further details about the incident have been shared by officials.