COCOA BEACH, Fla. — Brevard County officials are urging caution after a man and woman died after getting caught in a rip current.
It happened Tuesday afternoon near 4th Street along Cocoa Beach.
Officials said they were trying to save a child in the ocean.
That child survived.
The two adults were taken to the hospital but did not survive.
Chief Eisen Witcher, of Brevard County Ocean Rescue, told Channel 9 that surf conditions were rough at the time.
He said wave heights have reached 6-8 feet in recent days.
Eisen said conditions are starting to subside, causing the ocean appear more calm.
But those surf conditions have caused significant damage to the sandbars, causing flash rip currents.
And those calm-looking waters can present a real danger to unsuspecting beachgoers.
“It’s a sudden opening in the sandbar that causes a sudden outflow of water into the ocean. It’s very fast, it’s very unexpected, and you can lose your footing very quickly,” Eisen said of a rip current.
He urged people visiting local beaches who decide to enter the surf to do so near a lifeguard.
“Outside of a life-guarded area, it’s very difficult for people from out of town or tourists to know or understand or what to do.”
If you do find yourself caught in a rip current, experts say you should remember the following:
- First stay calm and float - rip current’s pull you away from shore - not under
- Swim parallel to the shoreline.
- Once you’re out of the current, you can angle back and signal for help
- Wave one arm and try to get someone’s attention for help
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