A man was found in the water off the coast of New York City's Rockaway Beach on Monday morning.
According to the NY Post, the floating body was first reported to police by bystanders around 12:30 AM. A cause of death has not yet been given, but police did share that the death is not deemed to be suspicious.
The deceased was identified as a man in his 30s. After the body was retrieved from the water, it was transported to St. John's Episcopal Hospital. Sadly, the man was pronounced dead on arrival.
Monday morning's tragedy marks the fifth apparent drowning at New York City beaches this summer. Beach season is far from over, and this year's numbers have already eclipsed last year's total of 4 drownings.
The number of drownings has elicited quite a response from the public. Regardless of the calls for expanded lifeguard hours, increased staffing, and other safety measures, NYC Mayor Adams and his administration have yet to budge.
After Another Drowning, Pressure Mounts on New York To Make Changes
Queens Borough President Donovan Richards called on the city to do more. To Richards's point, this particularly hot summer is far from done, and the beaches will certainly stay popular. Richards advocated for added safety measures earlier this summer, after the drowning of the four teens. One point of contention has been lifeguard hours. Beach guards are on duty daily from 10 AM to 6 PM, while pool guards stay on until 8 PM.
While calls have been made for more lifeguard help at the beach, the city has pushed back time and time again. At a July 9 press conference, Mayor Adams and Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi touted NYPD drones as new tools in drowning prevention. Regardless of the drones, it seems like a lifeguard shortage has played a role in the recent string of drownings.
Notably, New York City reports that the 870 lifeguards on staff are simply not enough. The city says over 1,500 lifeguards would be needed to fully patrol beaches and pools.
This summer, beaches and oceans have certainly stayed in the news. Between shark attacks and drownings, a carefree summer has been far from realized.
