Man Dies After Being Found Unresponsive In The Surf At Miacomet Beach

An elderly man died Monday after being discovered unresponsive in the surf at Miacomet Beach. The man has not yet been identified by authorities, and the cause of death was not disclosed. 

The incident occurred just before 4 p.m. when first responders received a report of an “80-year-old unresponsive male pulled out of the water” according to emergency radio traffic. Police and fire department personnel converged on the south shore beach where a witness told the Current they saw first responders doing chest compressions on an “older man.”

"The lifeguard and patrons that were there and of course NFD, we did everything we possibly could for him. I'm really proud of the lifeguards. They did a great job in difficult circumstances, it was non-stop all afternoon," Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey told the Current on Tuesday when she confirmed the man had died.

In a press release issued just before 6 p.m. on Monday, the town stated “Nantucket lifeguards were the first to arrive at the scene, where they promptly pulled the man from the water and initiated life-saving measures. They treated the patient and transported him to an awaiting ambulance in the parking lot at Miacomet Beach. Upon arrival, Nantucket firefighters took over the care of the patient and transported him to Nantucket Cottage Hospital for further treatment. The patient's current condition is unknown at this time."

A witness told the Current that it was two bystanders at the beach who dragged the man out of the surf where he was met by responding lifeguards.

It was one of numerous rescues performed by lifeguards and other beachgoers along the south shore on Monday when big surf and rip currents created the most hazardous conditions of the summer so far. 

Lucey said lifeguards performed seven water rescues along the south shore on Monday, assisting at least nine people caught in rip currents and big waves. Five of those occurred in the hours leading up to the incident at Miacomet, including one near Cisco Beach in which two males in their 20s got caught in a rip current that carried them 200 yards offshore. Four lifeguards responded to the area and managed to get them back to shore.

"We had a really busy day," Lucey said.

The most challenging day of the summer, we asked? "Yes," she responded.