A 17-year-old drowned off Cocoa Beach on May 2, marking the fourth beach drowning in Brevard County this year. The incident occurred as two teens, aged 12 and 17, struggled in the surf near Lori Wilson Park. Lifeguards rescued the 12-year-old but found the older teen submerged and unresponsive later, according to Cocoa Beach Police. The victim has not been publicly identified.
Brevard County Ocean Rescue is adding 15 lifeguards ahead of the summer season, a move officials say is needed as crowds are expected to surge. Don Walker, a spokesman for the rescue team, said red flag warnings were in effect during the weekend due to rough surf. The National Weather Service had issued rip current alerts for the area on the day of the drowning.
The death comes as Brevard prepares for a busy summer, with schools on break and Kennedy Space Center launch schedules increasing. Walker urged swimmers to stay out of the water if they are not strong swimmers and to avoid areas without lifeguards. 'The safest thing anyone can do is to swim near a lifeguard,' he said.
Officials emphasized that rip currents and rough surf remain dangers even during the offseason. With the Memorial Day weekend approaching, Brevard Ocean Rescue plans to deploy the additional lifeguards by late May. The county has not released details about the investigation into the drowning or whether the victim was wearing a life jacket.