Officials Warn That Beachgoers Could Risk 'Arrest' If They Break Curfew Following Tragic Incident
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Seaside Heights, New Jersey, is enforcing a beach curfew following the death of a man who got caught in a rip current
The incident occurred after hours, so no lifeguards were on duty
Seaside Heights Mayor Anthony Vaz said the town is prohibiting swimming off the beach after lifeguards leave each day to prevent further accidents
A New Jersey town is enforcing a new policy on its beaches following a deadly incident last week.
On Aug. 11, the Seaside Heights Fire Department was alerted to a report of multiple swimmers in distress off of Webster Avenue Beach in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, according to Fox News. The city's fire department and additional agencies responded to a report of six individuals 100 yards offshore caught in a rip current.
The victims were rescued in three waves: three in the first, two in the second, and the final victim by himself. Rescue crews immediately performed CPR upon retrieval of the final swimmer, but the 31-year-old was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), rip currents are powerful currents of water that move away from shore. They can sweep even the strongest swimmers. Deaths often occur when swimmers are pulled offshore and are unable to stay afloat.
There were no lifeguards on duty at the time of the incident, as it occurred after hours, when many of them had already gone home. Lifeguards patrol Seaside Heights beaches between Memorial weekend and Labor Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Following the event, Seaside Heights mayor Anthony Vaz said he wants to clear the ocean after lifeguards leave for the day.
"I don't care who gets mad at me, I'm closing the beach," Vaz told local outlet News 12. "If it's endangerment, I hate to say this, sue me."
The mayor told Fox News there will be an increased presence of law enforcement, too.
"They'll be there the rest of the season, chasing people out of the water at five o'clock," he said. "If [people] refuse to get out, we'll [give them a summons]. And if they get really arrogant — I hope not — they'll be arrested."
PEOPLE has reached out to Seaside Heights' mayor's office and police department for comment.
On Friday, Aug. 15, local outlet Asbury Park Press captured members of the police department patrolling the beach after lifeguards had left. The officers used ATVs to move around the beach, warning beachgoers to stay out of the water.
The outlet also captured signs posted at each entrance to Seaside Heights' beach."Swimming permitted only when lifeguards are on duty!" the signs said.
According to the NWS, there have been 52 fatalities within surf zones in the United States this year. Twenty-five of those deaths, or 48%, were a result of rip current.
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Earlier this year, Malcolm-Jamal Warner died while swimming on a family trip in Costa Rica.
The actor 'was apparently swept away by a current. The man was rescued by bystanders and taken to shore, where he received treatment from the Costa Rican Red Cross. However, he was declared lifeless at the scene,' the Judicial Investigation Agency said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Warner was 54 when he died on July 20.
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