A 68-year-old man died in rough surf on southern Hatteras Island Tuesday morning, according to officials with Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It was the second drowning death in two days on the Outer Banks.
On Monday, a 28-year-old woman from Washington D.C. died in rough waves off Avon, which is also part of the National Seashore.
“High energy surf conditions, including large waves and life-threatening rip currents, are forecast to be present all week,” said David Hallac, superintendent of the National Parks of Eastern North Carolina.
The remnants of hurricanes Idalia and Franklin have triggered rip current warnings for beaches from North Carolina to New York.
“Visitors wading into the surf, even as shallow as waist deep, may be overcome by large waves, suffer injuries, and may be overtaken by rough ocean conditions making it difficult, if not impossible, for all but the strongest, most experienced swimmers to survive,” he said.
Park officials said they got a 911 call at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after two bystanders pulled the unresponsive man from the surf. The man was visiting from Hillsboro, Ohio, according to a news release.
“While you may see surfers seemingly effortlessly riding the waves, do not be tempted to enter the ocean during these hazardous conditions,” Hallac said.
“The majority of surfers at Cape Hatteras National Seashore are competent athletes that have developed significant skills and experience or time to engage in their sport,” he said.
He suggested visitors spend time in the water on sound-side beaches, including at the accesses at Haulover, Salvo and Devil Shoals Road.
On Labor Day, officials said a woman was found unresponsive at about 2:30 p.m. in Avon, North Carolina, a village on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
A witness said the “woman was overtaken by strong waves and disappeared in the surf,” according to the National Parks Service.
“Shortly after disappearing in the surf, the victim was observed face-down in rough ocean conditions,” the Parks Service said in a news release.
The Parks Service did not release either of the drowning victims’ names.