Park officials at Cape Hatteras National Seashore say two more people have died while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean. That's the third death in the past week.
On Wednesday morning, a 55-year-old man from Benson drowned after it was believed he was caught in a rip current. The man was last seen about 50 yards from the beach on a small sandbar. A bystander tried to reach the individual to provide assistance but the man was swept away. Wednesday’s second victim was a visitor from Massachusetts who was found floating three feet from shore at Ocracoke near Ramp 70. Resuscitation measures were attempted, but were unsuccessful. Another fatality occurred on Sunday when a Pennsylvania man was found floating in the ocean off the north end of Buxton. The waters off Cape Hatteras beaches often produce powerful waves and dangerous rip currents. According to the National Weather Service, if you’re caught in a rip current, stay calm and swim in a direction following the shoreline. Last year, there were seven swimming related fatalities at Cape Hatteras.
