An 18-year-old man drowned Thursday off the Virginia side of Assateague Island, the National Park Service said.
The incident occurred around 4:15 p.m. about 150 yards south of the lifeguarded area near the Chincoteague Beach parking lot, according to the NPS.
A relative told lifeguards that the man and another swimmer were struggling in the water “well offshore.” Both were pulled from the water, but the 18-year-old was unconscious and unresponsive, prompting lifeguards to administer CPR.
He was then transported to an area hospital and pronounced dead on arrival, the NPS said. The man’s name has not been released.
The NPS reminded swimmers to “never venture too far from shore” and be mindful of wind and ocean currents in the water off Assateague Island.
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