Rough seas likely a factor in death of swimmer, 78

A man whose body was pulled from rough seas riven by rip currents was a Canadian resident who visited South Florida six months every year, the Broward County Medical Examiner's Office said.

Henryk Szymanski, 78, was found floating Monday in the Atlantic Ocean near the Pompano Beach Fishing Pier.

Szymanski was one of three people pulled from the surf that afternoon; the other two swimmers survived the rough water with the help of lifeguards who brought them to shore, Pompano Beach Fire Rescue spokeswoman Sandra King said.

“It was severe rip tides and a very crowded beach,” King said Wednesday about conditions at the time of the 3 p.m. rescues. “The swimmers who were rescued were in the ocean while rip current flags and warnings were posted.”

Pompano Beach Fire Rescue took Szymanski to Broward Health Imperial Point, where he was declared dead.

An autopsy was performed Tuesday and the medical examiner's office is awaiting toxicology results that may arrive in a couple of weeks before declaring the cause and manner of Szymanski's death.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday its investigation is continuing.

Rip current risk for the coasts of Broward and Palm Beach counties on Wednesday were slight, said Robert Molleda, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Miami.

For the rest of the week, through at least Friday, risk remains low, Molleda said.

But increasing onshore winds that may begin Saturday and last through early next week are forecast to increase and will foster rip currents and increase dangerous conditions for swimmers.

Pompano Beach has a surf report recording beach goers can check after 9 a.m. each day for updates about beach and sea conditions: 954-786-4005.

Swimmers should watch for weather service updates, heed warnings from lifeguards and enter the sea near their stations. If caught in a rip current, swim parallel to shore until the dangerous water releases you.