Tragedy struck yessterday as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews were called upon to save multiple swimmers caught in treacherous conditions off the Miami coast. According to 7News, one man was pulled from the waters unresponsive around the 8800 block of Collins Avenue, while at a different location, near 16th Street and Collins, two more swimmers found themselves in distress but were rescued without the need for hospitalization.
Witness Everlyn Borgs, who was at the beach near 90th and Collins, told 7News, "This is a very dangerous time of the year, and you can get caught up in a current very close to the shores." Borgs, sitting on the sand, could see first responders rush into the ocean to reach a man pulled by the ocean to the shore, with the event occurring approximately at 7 p.m. "It’s very sad, and it’s the worst day of his life," she said, watching helplessly as the rescue unfolded.
Meanwhile, NBC Miami reports that a man was rushed to the hospital after nearly drowning in a perilously similar situation in Surfside. Lifeguards on jetskis with a tethered rescue sled retrieved the victim who suffered near-drowning and was found after an intense five-minute search by rescue crews.
"They were trying to give him CPR and he was not responding," Everlayn Borges captured this on video with her cell phone, as she described to NBC Miami, highlighting the frenetic efforts of lifeguards. Borges, as both a free-diver and a seasoned swimmer, knows the hazards: "You are never really comfortable seeing someone on the worst day of their life, it is definitely very dangerous this time of year and it would be good if everybody would be mindful to not trust the ocean, because it is very unpredictable," she emphasized.
The unfortunate incidents underscore the ocean's strength, leading to an urgent reminder for beachgoers to exercise extreme caution when swimming, particularly during periods of strong currents. As Borgs noted for 7News, "The ocean is very aggressive today, and the current is very, very strong." To survive rip currents, officials advise individuals to remain calm, swim parallel to the shore, and wave for help without fighting the current directly.
