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On Friday, July 28, authorities in Coney Island announced that they had called off the search for a 15-year-old swimmer who was reported missing on Thursday, July 27. The boy was reportedly swimming near the beach with his 16-year-old brother when they began to struggle with the currents. While three men at the scene rescued the 16-year-old, the younger brother could not be found.
NBC reported that rescue teams in Coney Island searched for the 15-year-old for several hours. The effort involved lifeguards, FDNY divers, and helicopters that flew above the beach.
The 16-year-old who was rescued was treated by EMS and was later released as he had no major injuries.
Timeline of the July Coney Island drowning incident
The Coney Island drowning incident occurred at approximately 12:40 pm on Thursday, July 27. Visitors at the beach said they saw the two teenagers jumping into the waves, but they appeared to get caught by a strong current. Officials noted that there were no lifeguards in the area as it was restricted for swimming.
A witness at the scene, Fernando Aguerto, said he had gone to sunbathe in Coney Island when he saw the boys. He told CBS reporters:
"The kids were playing in the water. But I told them, I warned them, the water's very, very dangerous, don't play with the water. But they didn't say nothing to me. They continued jumping and playing. Then I saw everybody screaming."
Aguerto said that soon after, the boys looked like they couldn't swim. Moments later, the currents swept them away, prompting Aguerto and two other sunbathers to pull the 16-year-old up to shore. They said the 15-year-old had been swept too far away for them to reach him.
One of the three men, local Coney Island father Benjamin Colon, stated that he went around a rocky area to try and rescue the teen. He said he saw the younger brother above water for moments but lost sight of him as he was swept under.
The third rescuer, retired New York firefighter John McLean, stated that the currents were so strong that the teens may have been too exhausted to fight them.
McLean said:
"Then we went back and started looking and see where he was located, but we lost contact with him. We didn't see him at all. He was spent, he was exhausted, he was ready to drown, just about ready to drown. We got him in time. He was in shock. I believe it was his brother out there."
Officials have advised visitors to local beaches to be careful of strong currents. All swimmers are advised to stay away from restricted zones.
