A couple vacationing in Florida with their children tragically died after getting caught by a rip current while swimming.
On Thursday (June 20), Brian Warter, 51, and his girlfriend Erica Wishart, 48, were with their six children - mostly teenagers - at the beach on Hutchinson Island, which is a barrier island located on Floridaâs southeastern coast.
According to News.com.au, tragedy struck when the Pennsylvania couple and two of their teenagers were caught up in the dangerous current. While the kids managed to escape to the shore, their parents were not able to.
Brian and Erica's children called 911 as they watched their parents struggle in the water and fail to come ashore.
Martin County Sheriffâs Office Chief Deputy John Budensiek revealed to WPTV that one of the children tried screaming at Warter and Wishard to instruct them that they needed to swim parallel to the shore.
Unfortunately, they didnât receive the urgent plea, as they were "in panic mode and unfortunately went under,â per the outlet.
According to ABC News, a red flag warning was in place at the time.
âA lot of people are locals, they understand rip tides,â he continued. âThey know what to do, what not to do. They know where to get in the ocean and where not to. We get these vacationers that come in and unfortunately, this ends poorly for them. Thereâs no way to get the message out to all of them.â
Martin County Ocean Rescue located the victims and began CPR on shore before rushing them to the hospital where medics at Cleveland Clinic North tried life-saving measures. Tragically, they were pronounced dead.
The couple's neighbors were shocked to learn the parents drowned at the beach.
"It seems like a great relationship," Lauren Aldridge, a friend of the couple, told WPVI. "So, we are at a loss for words about the whole thing."
"He was a wonderful neighbor. We helped him out with his dogs. He helped us out with our dogs, with gardening advice, and taking care of the yard. Very nice guy. Very nice neighbor," she added.
After the heartbreaking incident, Hutchinson Islandâs informational travel page on Facebook expressed condolences to the couple and shared tips on how to avoid and escape rip currents.
You can read the post below:
"After reading the tragic news today about the family from Pennsylvania, I feel like we need to get the rip current information out there on how to escape a rip current if you ever find yourself in one," the post said. "These signs are posted at every single beach, guarded and unguarded. Please, if youâre visiting go to [a] guarded beach first.
"Read these signs. If youâre not sure have a lifeguard show you what to look for when spotting rip currents. 1. Heed the flag warning. If itâs red, donât go in. 2. Watch the water for a while before jumping right in even if itâs a green flag day. 3. Enter where the wave is breaking. Donât enter where the water isnât breaking. Thatâs where the rip current is. 4. Always watch the water. The rip current shifts around so watch the water always. 5. If youâre caught in a rip current, donât panic, float. Wave for help. Swim parallel to the beach."
"We are absolutely heartbroken for the family," the post concluded. "Our prayers go out to the children and the entire family."
The sheriff's office disclosed in a press release that they assisted the six children, who are mostly teenagers, throughout the day until other family members could arrive in Florida.
Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims.
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