CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. – A 53 year old man from Ohio died in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras National Seashore near Buxton, North Carolina on Monday.
The call for the incident came in around 11:49 a.m. The fatality happened less than a mile north of the former location of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.
A family member brought the Ohio man back to shore and bystanders attempted to do CPR. The CPR efforts were unsuccessful.
National Park Service Rangers, Hatteras Island Ocean Rescue, Buxton Volunteer Fire Department, Dare County Emergency Medical Services, and Dare County Sheriff Officers responded to the incident.
Reports say the victim was not using a flotation device. The cause of death is said to be unknown until a medical examination is performed.
A high risk of rip currents was forecast for most beaches along the Seashore Monday. A high risk of rip currents means that “wind and/or wave conditions support dangerous rip currents. Rip currents are life-threatening to anyone entering the surf.”
This is the first water-related fatality off Cape Hatteras National Seashore this year. There were five fatalities in 2018, seven in 2017, and eight in 2016.
“Our staff offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends,” said National Parks of Eastern North Carolina Superintendent David Hallac. “We urge all visitors to be very careful when swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.”
