Two drown off Rockaway beach
Witnesses pray as separate incidents claim teen girl and young man
Queens beachgoers said prayers on Friday as they watched two young people die in separate drownings off Rockaways beaches known for their deadly riptides.
A 16-year-old girl died in waters off Beach 108th St., police said. Her identity was withheld Friday night pending notification of her family.
A second person, a man between 18 and 20 years old, drowned in waters off Beach 98th St., said cops. His identity also was not immediately released.
Both incidents happened around 6 p.m. said police.
Beachgoers watched as police and fire department rescuers went to work — some saw police divers jump into the water from a helicopter.
But people familiar with the beach knew the endangered swimmers had little chance in the windswept waves.
“It’s not safe for people to be swimming in this water,” said Bryan Brennan, 27, a lifelong Rockaways resident. He added: “This is definitely a surfers’ beach, and there are no life guards on duty after [6 p.m.].”
Another lifelong Rockaways resident, Walter White, said rescuers moved quickly to save the male swimmer’s life.
“It didn’t take long for lifeguards to respond — but they just couldn’t find the guy,” said White, 33.
“I was asking God to help him,” said Jennifer Sanchez, 33, a Jackson Heights resident visiting the Rockaways with her family.
“Everyone on the beach just started praying — myself included,” said witness Wilson Ortiz, 38, of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. “People were getting down on their knees and praying for the family, because the family was with him.”
People watched as the man was pulled from the water and rescuers tried desperately to resuscitate him.
Rockaways residents know the danger posed by the riptides off their beaches.
Both victims were taken to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
“The riptide today — its no joke. And it’s very windy,” said White. “It just happens every single year that someone drowns because they don’t know how strong the riptide is.”