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Jacksonville Lifeguards Warn Of Dangerous Waters As Teen’s Body Is Found

News4Jax
Lifeguards warn swimmers need to be aware of rip tides.

The body of a missing 14-year-old was found on Jacksonville Beach Monday morning. As our partner News4Jax reports, he had been missing since Sunday after being caught in a rip current.

Jacksonville Beach Lifeguard George Paugh said his team had been involved in 10 water rescues this past weekend and somewhere around 13 or 14 the weekend before. Paugh, who said he’s been with Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue since 1964, called the number of rescues extremely unusual.

“Right now I’ve seen something I haven’t seen here in a long time or really ever and that’s waves on one side, waves on another side and a river running out,” Paugh said.

That river being a rip current, or run-out.

Paugh said if someone gets caught in a rip tide, they should float to conserve energy and swim parallel to the shore.

“Don’t ever turn around and try to swim back in to a run out. It’s just too strong,” he said.

He said Ocean Rescue is it trying to keep as many lifeguards on the beach as it can.

The 14-year-old whose body was recovered Monday disappeared in the ocean about 2 p.m. Sunday.  He was last seen struggling about 15 yards from shore in an area known for rip currents. When lifeguards entered the water, they lost sight of him.

In St. Johns County the search for a swimmer who disappeared Thursday night off South Ponte Vedra Beach has turned into a recovery effort. Commander Chuck Mulligan said a human body part has been found but it’s unconfirmed as to whether that case is connected to the swimmer reported missing, who has been identified as Dale Kopf, 47, according to News4Jax.

As News4Jax also reports, A man died at Flagler Hospital Sunday, the day after he and two children were rescued from the ocean near the beach access at Atlantic View and Redick Lane.

Reporter Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at @lindskilbride.

Lindsey Kilbride was WJCT's special projects producer until Aug. 28, 2020. She reported, hosted and produced podcasts like Odd Ball, for which she was honored with a statewide award from the Associated Press, as well as What It's Like. She also produced VOIDCAST, hosted by Void magazine's Matt Shaw, and the ADAPT podcast, hosted by WJCT's Brendan Rivers.