A 15-year-old teenager drowned and at least five others were rescued while swimming at an unguarded beach.
The tragic incident happened at Sandy Hook Beach in New Jersey, US, on Sunday at around 4pm after the boy was swimming in a section of the beach without any lifeguards on duty.
Eyewitnesses rushed to save the swimmers including the teenager whose name has not been released.
Marie Macera, who was at the beach, told ABC: "I saw them floating down. They were drifting. I didn't know there was trouble until they got over here."
Beachgoers gathered round along with emergency services to try and help the people stranded in the sea.
"People jumped in the water, took three of them out. And then there was one missing that they couldn't get," said eyewitness Luis Sanchez.
A witness heard a mum cry claiming she could not see her 15-year-old son - but he was quickly spotted in the water.
Lifeguards from nearby beaches formed a link to help try and pull the teenager out.
"They all made a line with their hands to try to extend to get this kid to pull him out - but he had to be there a long time," Ms Macera said.
The boy was eventually pulled out and given CPR but he was tragically pronounced dead, according to Mr Sanchez.
Five people were taken to hospital but the teenager could not be revived.
Gateway National Recreational Public Affairs Specialist Daphne Yun said one of the teens refused to be taken to hospital for treatment.
Regulars at Sandy Hook Beach said people are warned not to swim that part of the beach as the rip current is too dangerous.
"They were all up and down the shore, because people don't listen and the rip current is so bad", said Ms Macera.
Mr Sanchez, who said his family came to the beach for a walk, only stepped in the water when he was pulled.
He revealed: "Even at that, I was feeling pulled. When it's windy. The weather is like this - you get rip tides, and you can easily drown."
The conditions on the other young people who were pulled from the water are unknown.
At least 28 people drowned in rivers, lakes and the ocean in New Jersey last year, according to preliminary data from the state Department of Health.
