Rip Current in Nassau, New York

At approximately 1230 pm on June 22nd the motionless body of 12 year old Nicole Suriel was pulled out of the ocean waters. This was more than 90 minutes after she went under the water near a jetty adjacent to Edwards Blvd in Long Beach. Nicole was on a field trip with her Harlem classmates. One of her teachers was injured in attempts to rescue her, ultimately having to be rescued herself. There were no lifeguards officially on duty, with staffing planned to begin the following week, but dozens of lifeguards and local police who were on nearby training exercises did join in the search efforts.

Robert Moses and Jones Beach reported wave heights of 1/2 to 1 ft in the morning with none to slight rip conditions. Permanent rip currents are likely in the vicinity of fixed structures such as piers and jetties, making them very dangerous bathing locations for inexperienced swimmers.

High pressure over the region was reponsible for tranquil surf conditions, but permanent rip currents in the vicinity of a jetty may have been the cause for the drowning of a 12 year old girl.