FDNY firefighter dies trying to save teen daughter from rip current, officials say
An FDNY firefighter died trying to rescue his teenage daughter from a rip current on the Jersey Shore, officials said.
The man, who has been identified as 39-year-old Mark Batista, was visiting the beach in Avon-by-the-Sea with his family on the morning of Friday, June 9, when the girl started to get pulled away from the shore, officials told news outlets WABC and PIX11.
Batista went into the ocean after his daughter to try to save her from the strong current, News 12 reported.
ANSWER Team, a water rescue crew that responded to the beach, said crews were called to the area just after 8:30 a.m. about two “swimmers in distress.” Rescuers were able to get the teen out of the water but couldn’t find Batista.
The girl was taken to a hospital while the search for her dad continued, the rescue team said in a Facebook post.
“The search continued for over an hour as rescue swimmers, divers, jet skis, boats, and a drone searched the area for the missing swimmer,” the team said. “Just before 10:00AM, a US Coast Guard helicopter identified a possible location, at which time rescue swimmers located the missing swimmer and removed him from the water.”
He was taken to a hospital, where he died, officials said.
Officials told WABC that Batista’s daughter is “physically in good condition.”
The FDNY told McClatchy News in a statement it is “heartbroken” over Batista’s death.
“Firefighter Batista was a dedicated public servant who spent fifteen years serving in the FDNY, as both an EMT and a firefighter,” the department said. “We join his family in mourning his tragic passing.”
The Avon-by-the-Sea Police Department is investigating the incident, the ANSWER Team said.
McClatchy News reached out to the police department for more information on June 11 and was awaiting a response.
Avon-by-the-Sea is in Monmouth County, about 70 miles north of Atlantic City.
Rip current safety
Rip currents are “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water” that happen on the coasts of the U.S. and in the Great Lakes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
About 100 people are killed by rip currents each year in the U.S., NOAA reported. Lifeguards rescue thousands of people from rip currents annually.
Experts say people can take steps to stay safe from rip currents, including:
Check the local water conditions before getting in.
Talk to a lifeguard at the beach about the conditions.
Only swim at beaches where lifeguards are present.
Don’t assume great weather means good swimming conditions.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office posted on Facebook about the incident, advising beachgoers against swimming in areas without a lifeguard on duty.
This story was originally published June 11, 2023 at 9:00 AM with the headline "FDNY firefighter dies trying to save teen daughter from rip current, officials say."
