VERO BEACH — A Vero Beach man drowned Monday evening while swimming at South Beach Park, police said.
South Beach Park (PHOTO BY NICK SAMUEL)
The man was identified as 25-year-old Bogyu Choe. No lifeguards were on duty at the time of the incident, Vero Beach police spokesman Master Officer Darrell Rivers said.
“It appears he drowned,” Rivers said, noting that the surf was rough on Monday.
The incident happened about 7 p.m. Monday at South Beach Park, located east of State Road A1A and 17th Street, Rivers said. Rivers said Choe was at the beach with at least two other friends when he swam in the water.
An off-duty firefighter noticed Choe was struggling in the waves, Indian River County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Jamie Coleman said. Choe went under the water and reappeared floating and unconscious, Coleman said.
Police received several calls about a distressed swimmer several yards out in the ocean. The off-duty firefighter and others swam to Choe, pulled him to shore and tried to revive him, Coleman said.
Officers went to the beach and performed chest compressions on Choe until emergency medical services arrived. Choe was taken by ambulance to Cleveland Clinic Indian River Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Rivers said.
Rivers said Choe’s next of kin was notified Tuesday morning. Also, on Tuesday, the Medical Examiner’s Office performed an autopsy to determine Choe’s exact cause of death.
It was unclear when the autopsy results would be released.
Vero Beach lifeguards usually leave the beaches about 5 p.m. In an attempt to prevent public safety hazards, the lifeguards lobbied for extended hours earlier this year, which went into effect during the summer months.
A high rip current risk was in effect for Vero Beach Monday and Tuesday, National Weather Service in Melbourne Meteorologist Tim Sedlock said. Monday had 15 mph northeast winds, Sedlock said.
No further details were immediately available.