Rip Current — Brevard, Florida

2017-10-14 · Brevard, Florida

Event narrative

Around 1745LST, a 65-year old man who was on land observed a man struggling in the ocean at Spessard Holland Park in Melbourne Beach and two others who were attempting to rescue him. When the two would-be rescuers returned to shore, the 65-year old man went into the surf to attempt a rescue. He then also began to struggle against a rip current and eventually was pulled from the surf with no heartbeat. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he died the following day. An autopsy indicated that he died of a heart attack, but since it occurred during the time he was struggling against a rip current, the event has been listed as a rip current fatality in Storm Data. The original rip current victim was eventually rescued and refused transportation to the hospital.

Wider weather episode

A man attempted to rescue another man who he witnessed struggling in the surf at Melbourne Beach. The man attempting the rescue apparently suffered a heart attack while fighting a rip current and later died after being transported to a local hospital. The person who was initially struggling in the surf later returned to shore and refused hospital transportation.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 720244. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.