Strong winds are creating dangerous ocean conditions along the Florida coastline, claiming two lives in our area this weekend.
A Sunday morning outing on the water quickly turned tragic at the Boynton Inlet.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said first responders and medical personnel rushed to rescue a swimmer who was in danger.
However, man identified as Maximilian Sadowski, 34 of Lake Worth didn’t survive.
Surfer Brandon Williams witnessed the incident.
Brandon Williams talks about the rough conditions in the ocean due to the strong onshore winds.
“Me and the guys were surfing. I started to leave and I saw a jet ski coming up there, and I saw a fire rescue there,” Williams said.
He described what it is like when the sea can be rough.
“I know it’s deadly out there,” Williams said. “If you don’t know what you’re doing and it’s a big day… yesterday it was about four to four feet there.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Sadowski was swimming a quarter mile north of an area without a lifeguard.
Tiffany LaCasse offers some best practices for swimmers, even when ocean conditions aren’t rough.
Tiffany LaCasse of Palm Beach County Ocean Rescue spoke to WPTV about the risks of surfing in these types of conditions.
“Our men and women here train and practice in these rough water conditions every day,” LaCasse said. “They are equipped with rescue equipment.”
In addition to the death at the Boynton Inlet, a The 16-year-old died on Sunday after drowning at Pepper Park Beach in St. Lucie County.
LaCasse said it’s critical to know your surroundings when you’re on the water.
“It’s really great to bond and interact with every lifeguard tower, every lifeguard staff you ever see and always swim in a patrolled area,” LaCasse said.
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