2 teen sisters drown in turbulent Coney Island waters

Mike Heuer
·2 min read
UPI
Beachgoers relax and swim at Coney Island Beach in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July a day before two teen sisters drown while swimming at the popular beach during a rainstorm Friday evening. Photo by Peter Foley/UPI

July 6 (UPI) -- Two unidentified teen sisters died after entering the water at Coney Island during a rainstorm Friday night but were caught in turbulent waters and drowned.

Teens were ages 17 and 18 and entered the water after lifeguards were off duty and while a rainstorm forced others to seek shelter next to nearby restrooms at Coney Island Beach. Officers responded at about 8 p.m.

Witnesses said a man tried to stop them but couldn't swim, and turbulent waters stopped other beachgoers from entering the water to try to save the teens as they struggled.

"A guy ... saw the two little girls asking for help," a witness told WABC. "He tried to help ... but he can't swim, either."

First responders pulled the teen girls out of the water at about 9:30 p.m. and took them to Coney Island Hospital, where they were pronounced dead at about 10 p.m.

"I saw a lot of cops and firemen running towards the situation," witness Danny Quinones told CBS News. "The next thing you know, the family of the victims go to the same area but were told to go the boardwalk."

Quinones called it a "very tragic event."

The drownings occurred about two weeks ago when teens Elyjha Chandler and Christian Perkins died after a large wave swept them out to deeper water while swimming at Jacob Riis Beach.

Local officials afterward asked for lifeguards to be posted for longer hours at New York City beaches.

Officials at the city's Parks Department said increasing lifeguards' work hours would fatigue and exhaust them, which would affect their ability to ensure safety for swimmers.