The condition of a swimmer is unknown after he was pulled into the ocean by a rip tide and spent nearly an hour out in the water Saturday evening before being transported to a hospital, police said.
The 23-year-old man from Brooklyn was swimming with a friend at Long Beach, near National Boulevard and the beach front, when he got caught in a rip tide. All swimmers had been ordered out of the ocean around 6 p.m. when lifeguards went off duty, police said, but the two friends went back in the water.
Police received a call about swimmers in distress at 6:30 p.m. One of the swimmers was rescued by a lifeguard a short time later, but the second swimmer was not immediately found.
A search and rescue effort was conducted by the Long Beach Police Department, Long Beach Lifeguards, United States Coast Guard, Nassau County Aviation, and Nassau County Marine Bureau.
The 23-year-old man was located by rescuers after being "submerged" for one hour, police said. He was transported to South Nassau Community Hospital. His condition is unknown at this time.