Three drown when friends try to save 17-year-old struggling in river, Florida cops say

Efforts to rescue a 17-year-old boy from a Florida river ended in tragedy as friends entered the water and also found themselves struggling to swim, authorities said.

Three people died during the incident, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.

On Saturday, May 18, the group of friends visited the Caloosahatchee River in Franklin Lock Park, the sheriff’s office said.

First, 17-year-old Santos Tiul-Chen, who didn’t know how to swim, entered the 10-foot deep water and began to struggle, deputies said.

One of his friends, 21-year-old Pedro Pascual, jumped in to help him and also had a hard time staying afloat, prompting 19-year-old Victor Pedro-Gaspar to get in as well, according to the report.

The three of them struggled trying to save the others and themselves. They all disappeared under the water and didn’t resurface, deputies said.

A fourth person entered the water to assist but was able to swim back to shore and was later taken to a hospital, according to the sheriff’s office.

When first responders arrived, they said they attempted to resuscitate the three people but could not.

Franklin Lock Park is in Alva, about an 18-mile drive northeast from Fort Myers.

Drowning

At least 4,000 people die from drowning every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and drowning is a leading cause of death for children.

Some factors can make drowning more likely, including not knowing how to swim, a lack of close supervision, not wearing a life jacket and drinking alcohol while recreating near or in water.

The National Drowning Prevention Alliance said there are tips to help keep you safe in the water, including checking local weather conditions, never swimming alone and choosing the right equipment.

“Don’t hesitate to get out of the water if something doesn’t feel right,” the group said on its website. “Whether it’s that the current is getting rough, rain has started to fall, or your body is just not responding like you would like it to due to fatigue or muscle cramps, then just leave and return to the water another day. It’s always a good thing to trust your instincts.”

This story was originally published May 20, 2024 at 1:28 PM with the headline "Three drown when friends try to save 17-year-old struggling in river, Florida cops say."