Man, toddler dead after being swept away by current in Florida; good Samaritan missing

Two people are dead and the good Samaritan who tried to help them is missing after they were swept away by a current Friday night outside of Tampa, Florida, according to officials.

About 7:30 p.m. ET, the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said it received a "frantic 911 call" from a woman at the Apollo Beach Nature Perserve, according to NBC affiliate WFLA of Tampa.

A man and a 3-year-old "started wading in the water and got taken by the strong current at the Apollo Beach Channel," Sheriff Chad Chronister told reporters at the scene.

The 911 caller's boyfriend saw the pair struggling, ran into the water to try to save them and was also overtaken by the current, the sheriff said.

Authorities found the man and child, but they did not survive. Their names have not been released.

The man who attempted to rescue the pair has not been located, and search efforts are still underway. The Coast Guard is assisting in the search, officials said Saturday. The sheriff's office identified him as 27-year-old Kristoff Murray, according to WFLA.

“Couldn’t be more grateful for his heroic actions," Chronister told WFLA. "Unfortunately, the current was just that strong that he wasn’t able to attempt any rescue efforts as good and as pure as his intentions were."