Teenager Drowns in Memorial Day Weekend Rip Current at New Jersey Beach

A 15-year-old boy drowned Sunday and multiple others had to be rescued after intense rip tides overtook New Jersey waters, officials said.

The six people who needed emergency assistance were in an area without lifeguards where swimming is forbidden, a spokesperson for Gateway National Recreational Area told The Messenger.

The teen was pronounced dead at Sandy Hook Beach B, where the incidents occurred. Four people rescued were taken to get medical treatment and one person refused treatment.

Sandy Hook beaches remained at high rip current risk Monday, meaning deadly currents are likely present, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

Rip currents kill an average of 69 people a year, according to the NWS, and in 2021 were the third leading cause of weather-related deaths after heat and floods. The chances of drowning at a beach with a lifeguard are one in 18 million, the NWS said.

Gateway National Recreational Area did not immediately return a request for comment from The Messenger. None of the swimmers' names have been released.