Drowning on Rockaway Beach digs up water safety concerns

A 14-year-old drowned off of Rockaway Beach in Queens on Sunday. Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach 

By Ryan Schwach

A 14-year-old boy was killed over the weekend while swimming off of Rockaway Beach, the first drowning fatality off of the Queens’ shores this summer, which also comes after a dangerous summer season in 2022. 

Police sources say that the teen, who reportedly attended school in Ozone Park, was pulled from the beach off of Beach 75th Street and given CPR, but could not be saved. He was later pronounced dead after arriving to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway at 6:32 p.m. 

He was under the water for 10 to 15 minutes. 

According to the New York City Parks Department, Parks Enforcement Officers were alerted of a missing 14-year-old at around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday, about 45 minutes after lifeguards closed and vacated the beach due to thunder and lightning. 

​”Our hearts go out to the young man's family and friends following yesterday's tragedy,” said a Parks Department spokesperson.  

Rockaway’s shores, a destination for locals and visitors, has long had an issue with drownings, particularly during off hours. 

Janet Fash, a longtime chief lifeguard in the Rockaways, has been an outspoken opponent of the lifeguard’s union brass, going as far as to bring union charges up against them in 2021. 

Fash, also a Rockaway native, argues that there needs to be more resources and accountability on New York’s city beaches. 

“There's no real supervision on some of the lifeguard stations, including the one yesterday that had a drowning.” she said. “It's unfortunate and it breaks my heart that a 14-year-old lost his life.” 

Fash has long argued that even after lifeguards close up shop, that there needs to be some semblance of enforcement, since a large number of drownings occur with no lifeguards on duty. 

“I recognize that people might go on to the beach illegally even though the beach is closed,” she said. “There's no door that you can close the door to the beach.”   

She believes there should be a “skeleton crew” keeping an eye on the beach during off hours, and that more resources need to be given to such crews. 

“What we want is the ATVs – when I was out in Jones Beach, they’re were ATVs at the back of the beach for the lifeguards,” she said. “So if there was something in a closed section, they could jump on that ATV and be there.” 

Last summer, the problem was worsened by beach closures due to construction, and a nationwide lifeguard shortage. 

Local Councilmember Joann Ariola took on the Parks Department last year and fought for increased pay for lifeguards alongside an increase in hiring to staff Rockaway’s beaches. 

"My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the young man who lost his life this weekend," said Ariola in a statement on Monday. "This was a terrible tragedy that serves as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of the Atlantic Ocean. We need to keep working to promote ocean safety awareness in our schools, and continue to teach young people about how to enter the ocean safely.” 

“We cannot undo the tragedy of this weekend, but we can use this as an opportunity to reflect and think about how we can avoid similar situations in the future," she added.  

However, despite the pay raise and the city easing the lifeguard test, lifeguard numbers are still low. 

Other legislative efforts have been made to address other, underlining water safety issues like education. 

Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer-Amato has introduced legislation to increase swim safety education. Councilmember Selvena Brooks-Powers has a bill currently sitting in the Council’s Parks Committee, which looks to establish more public pools, and would require the Parks Department to work with the Department of Education to create free swim lessons. 

“I have been the leading advocate in Albany to make sure that we have investments in preventing childhood drowning, which is the number one killer of our youth,” Pheffer-Amato said at the beach openings on Memorial Day weekend. “Children are drowning and dying in water because there is no education.” 

The drowning on Sunday occurred in Brooks-Powers’ district. 

“Hearing the mom cry out today continues to ring with me,” she said in a tweet. 

Queens politicians, including Borough President Donovan Richards and Assemblymember Stacey Pheffer-Amato, called for increased water safety during this year’s beach opening. Eagle file photo by Ryan Schwach 

Parks Committee chairperson, Councilmember Shekar Krishnan, also has a piece of legislation which requires the Parks Department to submit an annual report to the mayor and Council on staffing levels and training, information on the seasonal recruitment of lifeguards and data on emergencies at beaches and pools. 

While those efforts are still in the pipeline, at the beginning of the summer season at Rockaway’s official beach opening, locals electeds, including Borough President Donovan Richards, repeated a single mantra. 

“Do not swim without lifeguards on duty.”