One drowns in Maryland after legislators warned of life -saving deficiency

A man has drowned on a popular Maryland -Beach just a few days after politicians asked the Trump administration to restore lifeguards in the area and argued in a letter that “life is at risk.”

The 18-year-old, whose identity has not been released, died while swam on Assateague Island National Seashore in Berlin, MD., On the afternoon of July 24, according to a news message from National park (NPS), which handles the beach.

The man swam with another person near the southern end of Assateague’s Chincoteague Beach parking space when they both began to “fight in the water,” NPS said. At 16:15 local time, a “relative to the beach” ran to alert lifeguards to the struggling swimmers, which was “well offshore,” said the federal agency.

Lifeguards answered Per NPS, and both swimmers were pulled from the water. One was successfully rescued “while the 18-year-old was unconscious and not answering, and was given CPR, says the agency.

He was then transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival, NPS said.

“Although the area of the event is 150 meters south of the life -saved zone in the sea beach, responded to lifeguards quickly and helped with the search,” NPS said in the news message.

The agency also said that the effort to help the swimmers included law enforcement in the park and US fish and wildlife, as well as contracted lifeguards and the state of Virginia. CBS news Previously reported that no lifeguards work at the Assateague this summer due to federal budget cuts.

On July 24, the beach accident comes just a few days after two Maryland senators wrote a joint letter calling for president Donald TrumpAdministration to fill the Assateague Lifeguard Roller left open due to federal budget cuts, per CBS news. (Nearly 1,000 NPS employees were dismissed earlier this year in an attempt to lower costs, according to the outlet.)

“We encourage you to fill all vacancies at Assateague immediately to protect public safety at this popular beach destination,” Senators Chris van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks wrote in the letter Per CBS News. The legislators also called the lack of lifeguards on the beach a “general security risk.”

The popular place, known for strong rip currents, receives over two million visitors each year, said the Senators’ letter per CBS News. Last year, lifeguards made at least 24 rescues on the Assateague, according to the legislators’ foundation.

“It seems that reduced capacity at NPS from the Trump administration’s financing and staff cuts, combined with the fact of hiring delays forced lifeguards to look elsewhere after summer employment, has played a role in NPS’s failure to put basic measures in place to keep the visitors secure.

“Life is at risk without lifeguards at Assateague,” the legislators continued. “RIP streams, big waves and marine debris are significant hazards that can harm or jeopardize beachgoers.”

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On the question of the staffing issue, NPS told CBS News that life -saving deficiency is a “nationwide concern even outside our public countries.”

“Many communities and cities across the country experience a lack of life during ideal levels,” NPS said. “Visitors have always had access to unattended beaches and monitored beaches even after lifeguards left for the day. We appreciate the public’s understanding and collaboration when we work to ensure a safe and pleasant experience for everyone.”

On July 24, when we announced death, the federal agency also issued a warning and says: “We ask our visitors to never venture too far from the beach and pay attention to wind and currents that can quickly transport long distances.”