Rough waters and a rip tide have been the cause of two swimmers losing their lives over two days off Long Island and New Jersey beaches. After searches were launched, both bodies have been found on Monday and according to authorities, both deaths are considered to be tragic accidents.

Jevoney White went missing off Smith Point Beach, Long Island

The first to go missing was 19-year-old Jevoney White of Queens who went swimming off Smith Point Beach, Long Island with his girlfriend and a group of others on Sunday evening at around 6:45 p.m. According to Suffolk officials, lifeguards were already off duty when rip tides pulled White under the water.

While his girlfriend was rescued, White was reported missing. White’s body was spotted at 6:40 a.m. Monday in Old Inlet Breach near Fire Island where a ranger ran into the water and pulled him out.

NBC New York quotes John Rankin, a witness at the beach, as noting lifeguards had gone off duty at 5:30 p.m. and that everyone then swims at their own risk. He said he saw White struggling for his life in the water, saying he was waving his hands and obviously struggling for air when a wave took him. White then disappeared under the water before help arrived. There was, reportedly, a rip current warning in place at the time.

Zuzana Oravcova disappeared off Point Pleasant

The second swimmer to go missing was 24-year-old Zuzana Oravcova, a Slovakian student working as part of a visa program at Jenkinson’s boardwalk. She disappeared off Point Pleasant when skinny dipping with her boyfriend, 23-year-old Thomas Kadlec, at around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning.

As reported by the New York Daily News, Kadlec lost sight of Oravcova and swam back to shore to report her as missing. Her body later washed up in Tom’s River.

According to authorities, both bodies have since been positively identified as the two missing swimmers.

Avoid swimming when there are rip tides around

As noted by Pix 11, swimmers are always advised against going into the water when no lifeguards are present, and this last weekend had an increased risk of dangerous rip currents.

Authorities advise people that should they be caught in a rip tide, they should avoid fighting against it. Swimmers should rather let the wave take them out then turn and swim sideways or float on their backs to conserve energy.

A similar situation occurred in Florida recently when a family was in danger of drowning after being caught by a rip tide. In that case, around 80 people, enjoying the day on Panama City Beach, joined hands in a human chain to rescue the family.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED