A Pennsylvania couple drowned in front of their children in a Florida rip current this week.
A Pennsylvania couple drowned in a rip current while vacationing in Florida this week, leaving their six children orphans.
Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, were swimming in the surf on Hutchinson Island when they, along with two of their teenage children, were swept out to sea by a rip current, according to the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. The teens were able to escape to shore.
The tragedy happened after the National Weather Service issued a warning for swimmers that dangerous rip currents were expected near Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin County beaches.What Is a Rip Current?
Rip currents, which flow out toward the ocean, can quickly pull swimmers away from the shore. They typically form at breaks in sandbars and near structures like piers and jetties.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), rip currents can travel at speeds of up to eight feet per second, faster than an Olympic swimmer.
