Far Rockaway Beach is known to have strong riptides. On Tuesday they may have contributed to the death of a 14-year-old. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
After 40 minutes of searching, a rescue team pulled a drowning 14-year-old boy out of the waters off of Far Rockaway on Tuesday, but they were unable to save him.
Akeem Craig was rushed to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in critical condition, an FDNY spokesman said. He was pronounced dead there.
Craig and a friend were swimming at the beach, known to have strong riptides, when the FDNY received a call at 12:33 p.m. about a person in the water.
They rushed to Beach 19th Street and Seagirt Boulevard and dispatched divers into the water, but they were too late to stop the teen from drowning.
Published reports said Craig was swimming with a friend who tried to save him but was unable to when he started getting dragged down.
Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
A good Samaritan was able to rescue the friend.
The two were swimming in an area of the beach where there are no lifeguards.
Signs point that out, and also alert swimmers to the dangerous tides in the area.
Craig was on the football team at August Martin High School and volunteered for an AIDS awareness group.
