A man was found dead in the water off the coast of Rockaway Beach early Monday morning in what appears to be the fifth drowning death at a New York City beach this summer.
Bystanders reported the floating body to police about 12:30 a.m., police said.
The man, who was identified as in his 30s, was pronounced dead on arrival at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. A cause of death has yet to be released, though police said the death wasn’t suspicious.
Despite the prior four drownings confirmed at New York City beaches this season — matching last year’s total four drownings — the Adams administration has yet to budge on local electeds’ cries for expanded lifeguard hours, increased staffing and other safety measures to stave off more deaths during a particularly hot summer.
“We’re only, technically, at the beginning of the summer … and unfortunately, we will be here again” if action isn’t taken, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards told The Post. “There’s a lot more work that the city needs to do.”
Richards told The Post he still stands by the safety measures he has advocated for upon the deaths of four others earlier this summer: Zainab Mohammed, 17, and Aisha Mohammed, 18 – who were pulled from Coney Island Beach earlier this month – and Elyjha Chandler, 16, and Christian Perkins, 17, who drowned at federally-run Jacob Riis Park in June.
Those added safety measures include extending the beach season beyond Sept. 8, building more community pools and increasing the time lifeguards are on duty until at least 7 p.m. Lifeguards on duty daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. under the current structure.
The borough president isn’t alone in his calls for stepped up water safety efforts: earlier this month, Richards joined New York City Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso and Council Member Justin Brannan to ask the Adams administration for expanded free swimming lessons, aquatics programs, increased staffing and more public pools to end the “recurring nightmare” on city beaches.
The pols also advocated for the opening of new certification tests for NYC Parks lifeguards and “flexible recruitment” of Red Cross and YMCA-certified lifeguards.
However, when asked if lifeguard hours would be extended during a July 9 news conference, Mayor Eric Adams and Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi instead touted NYPD drones and NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers’ surveillance of beaches after hours.
“[PEP officers] are letting people know about the dangers of going into the water when there is no lifeguard,” Joshi said. “There’s signage around, and FDNY and NYPD are also monitoring those beaches.”
The deputy mayor added that the administration will “continue to work hard to make sure that people understand the importance of swimming when there’s a lifeguard there and ensure that when there is no lifeguard there, we are doing the best we can to have eyes both in the ocean and on the beaches to let people know that they shouldn’t go in.”
The latest string of drownings comes during a multi-year lifeguard shortage exacerbated by the pandemic, Richards told The Post. According to figures provided by the city, about 870 lifeguards are on staff, though more than 1,500 are needed to fully patrol beaches and pools, The Post previously reported.
“It’s only going to get worse,” Richards said. “New York City is slated to have as many 90-degree days as Atlanta … This is the new norm, and we just got to be ready.”