Rip Current in Monmouth County, New Jersey

A 33-year-old man drowned near a jetty along the 8th Avenue Beach in Belmar (Monmouth County). He went swimming with three friends prior to the arrival of the beach patrols on the morning of the 5th. Unfortunately, they chose the only spot on the beach where a rip current was present. They were swept away by the current, but his friends managed to reach the beach. He was found unconscious near the jetty and pronounced dead. Two other ocean related fatalities occurred along the shore over the Independence Day Weekend, but they were not rip current related. A 32-year-old man drowned on July 4th off the 8th Avenue Beach in Asbury Park (Monmouth County). He was last seen entering the water at 6 p.m. EDT. A 54-year-old man died on July 6th after being pounded by the surf off of Cattus Island State Park in Dover Township (Ocean County).