Parents on Vacation With Six Kids Drown in Surprise Rip Current

Rip currents, rip tides, and undertows can turn any sunny beach day into a tragedy. A Pennsylvania family on vacation in Florida just learned how deadly these phenomena can be. 

According to Martin County police, 51-year-old Brian Water and 48-year-old Erica Wishard were on vacation with their six kids in Hutchinson Island when they were caught in a rip current offshore on June 20. 

"[The family] started their Florida vacation day on the beach," the authorities wrote in a Facebook post. "While in the water, the couple and two of the teens got swept out by a rip current. The kids were able to break the current and attempted to help their parents, but it became too dangerous and they were forced to swim ashore."

Related: 4 easy tips for getting out of an ocean rip current

Help came to the rescue and they began performing CPR on the victims before they were rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. They were later pronounced dead, and police worked with the children as they waited for other family members to arrive in Florida. 

Martin County Sheriff's Office chief deputy John Budensiek described the incident to WPBF. 

"Multiple witnesses told our investigators that both the male and female, who are now deceased, got in the ocean, right into a rip current and immediately were pulled from the shore," he said. "One of the children of the deceased tried to yell to them instructions on how to swim parallel to the shore, but they were in panic mode and unfortunately went under."

If you're at the beach and see a patch of water that doesn't have any waves, stay far away, as it could mean there's a rip current under the surface, and follow our guide to ensure you make it back to shore safely.