Local

Father drowns, children hospitalized after swimming off NC coast

PINE KNOLL SHORES, N.C. — Sunday afternoon saw the ninth drowning in North Carolina coastal waters of 2019.

The Town of Pine Knoll Shores announced the death Sunday evening. According to the assistant town manager, a man and his three children were swimming in the water off the Memorial Park beach access when they began to struggle.

A Good Samaritan and a Pine Knoll Shores police officer brought one of the children to shore, while the other two children were brought in -- along with another Good Samaritan who had gone out to help them -- by EMS workers on a jet ski.

Workers searched the water for the father, but could not immediately find him. Atlantic Beach and Indian Beach crews assisted in the search and eventually located the man. Paramedics started CPR on him when he was brought to shore, but he did not survive.

The family asked the town not to identify him.

The three children were taken to Carteret Healthcare in good condition.

The town had red flag warnings flying all day, indicating the high rip current risk.

Read more top trending stories on wsoctv.com: