A woman is fighting for her life following a near-drowning incident at Ponte Vedra Inn and Club. First Coast News reported that the event occurred in the ocean and not at the property's pool, as St. Johns County Fire Rescue (SJCFR) officials made clear. The woman received immediate aid from a lifeguard, who initiated life-saving measures until emergency responders took over and transported her to the hospital.
According to details shared by SJCFR, the rescue effort took place around 12:35 p.m. yesterday. Though her precise age has not been released, it is confirmed that the victim is a female. Action News Jax is actively seeking additional information on this unfolding story.
This incident coincided with warnings from local authorities regarding hazardous beach and ocean conditions. On the day prior to the incident, the Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue Division advised the public to avoid entering the water. This advice followed a National Weather Service in Jacksonville alert signaling a high rip current risk throughout the weekend — an aftereffect of storms Milton and Leslie stirring the waters.
Elsewhere, similar dangers prevailed at Hanna Park where, "If you can get a message out to the public to stay out of the water, we are pulling people out left and right," a spokesperson for SJC Fire Rescue told News4JAX. Alongside the woman from Ponte Vedra Inn and Club, one other individual was pulled from Hanna Park waters and is also in critical condition. Two additional people were rescued with non-life-threatening conditions, as confirmed by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department.
