Pennsylvania couple die after getting caught in rip current on Florida beach

CORRECTION: Previous versions of this story misspelled the woman's last name. Erica Wishart was the drowning victim.

A Pennsylvania couple died Thursday while vacationing in Florida with their six kids.

Pennsylvania couple drowns in front of children in Florida

The couple was pulled out of the water unconscious at the Marriott Hutchinson Island Beach Resort, according to local authorities.

The man and woman were identified as Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishart, 48, the sheriff's office said. They were on vacation with their six children, when they and two of their teenage kids were pulled away from shore by a rip current on Thursday afternoon.

Here’s what we know about the deaths of Brian Warter and Erica Wishart:

The couple's children, who are mostly teenagers, and emergency responders tried to save the couple and administered CPR on shore until an ambulance took them to Cleveland Clinic North Hospital in Stuart.

Martin County Fire Rescue crews responded to a 1:30 p.m. call about four missing swimmers, who were possibly struggling in a rip current, said Fire Rescue spokesperson Cory Pippen.

Pippin said ocean rescue lifeguards pulled two unconscious swimmers from the water and started CPR. The teens were able to make it back to shore unharmed.

The couple was taken to Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital in Stuart, he said, and later declared dead.

Pippen said there were red flags flying at the beach, which indicate dangerous surf and possible rip current conditions.

Reports say the family is from Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Where is Hutchinson Island Florida?

Hutchinson Island is located on the east coast of Florida and is a long, thin barrier island that stretches from Fort Pierce to Stuart. It is one of two barrier islands on the coast of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties in Florida. The two islands are separated by an inlet, known as Fort Pierce Inlet.

Hutchinson Island offers miles of sandy beaches with an abundance of wildlife and many family-friendly activities making it a hot vacation spot.

What were the conditions at Hutchinson Island?

A disturbance off the coast has been churning up waters on the Florida coast.

Coastal Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties are under a high-risk rip current advisory through Friday evening.

"Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water," the National Weather Service said. "Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and float. Don`t swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and call or wave for help."

What are rip currents?

Rip currents are strong, concentrated channels of fast-moving water flowing quickly away from the shoreline and toward the ocean. They are most often found at low spots or breaks in the sandbar and near structures such as jetties and piers.

Moving at speeds of up to 8 feet per second, rip currents are faster than even the strongest swimmers. They can form at any beach with waves, at any time.

Panicked swimmers often try to swim back to shore... against the current, and often fall victim to fatigue and drowning.

What should you do if you're caught in a rip current?

The most important thing to do when you realize you are being pulled out by a rip current is to stay calm and relax. They will not pull you under. The biggest danger is tiring yourself out.

You might be able to get out of the current by swimming with it parallel to the shore, or floating or just treading water until it fades or circulates back to shore. Then you can swim back to the beach

You can also try swimming with the current toward breaking waves, where you may then be able to swim for shore.

If you can't reach the shore or are getting pulled out further into the ocean, or you are getting tired, draw attention to yourself by waving or shouting for help.

How many people die in rip currents?

Rip currents are habitual hazards of Florida beaches. Tens of thousands are rescued from rip currents in the U.S, every year and they make up 81.9% of all surf beach rescues, according to a 2018 report from the Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences on lifeguard data.

The United States Lifesaving Association has estimated that over 100 people drown every year in this country due to rip currents.

This article originally appeared on Pocono Record: Pennsylvania couple drown while on family vacation in Florida