GA man’s drowning on Hilton Head beach was caused by a rip current, officials say
The 42-year-old man from Rincon, GA who drowned on a Hilton Head beach earlier this month was caught in a rip current, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
Bystanders heard Jonathan King yelling for help and struggling in the water just before 3:30 p.m. off Singleton Beach, located south of Folly Field. After two people with surfboards brought the man to the shore, nearby physicians attempted resuscitation efforts, which were continued by Hilton Head Fire Rescue crews upon their arrival.
The Sept. 3 incident was the first drowning on Hilton Head beaches in 2023, said beach patrol spokesperson Mike Wagner.
The man had been swimming not far from the shore near marker 96 when he became stuck in the rip current, his family later told Beaufort County deputies.
Rip currents kill an estimated 100 people every year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These currents, which run perpendicular to the shore, form when water rushes offshore through waters that are slightly deeper, such as a break in a sandbar or reef. They’re usually strongest near low tide, but can form at any time.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU’RE CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT
Rip currents are often difficult to see, but you can spot them in areas where waves aren’t breaking, or where there’s foam, seaweed or discolored water being pulled rapidly offshore.
Swimmers caught in a rip current should try to swim parallel to the beach, perpendicular to the current in either direction, Skipper Eric Roberts of Fripp Island Sea Rescue previously told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette.
“Don’t just swim straight into it (back to the beach) because you’ll lose that battle,” Roberts said.
He said it’s better for swimmers to use what energy they have to try to get out instead of riding it out into the ocean and then trying to swim back.
“That’s usually where people get in trouble is they fought and they fought and they fought and they just lost their energy and they’re pushed too far,” he said. “And that’s not a good situation. The key thing is to get out of that out rushing channel.”
This story was originally published September 12, 2023 at 8:36 AM.
