CORPUS CHRISTI (Kiii News) -
There were tense moments on the Island Tuesday, when a surfer drowned near Packery Channel.
It happened around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. First responders said a 50-year old surfer simply underestimated the power of the waves, and the rip current.
Nearby surfers were able to pull him to shore and start CPR. Paramedics got to the scene minutes later. Unfortunately, the man did later die at the hospital.
"There is a very strong current out there right now," said Timothy Netek with the Corpus Christi Fire Department. "As you can tell, even the surfers are taking it very cautiously. Anybody without a lot of experience in this water should avoid it at this time."
The currents will be extra strong the next few days because of Hurricane Isaac. Expert swimmers said, if you do get caught in a rip current, the best thing to do is swim parallel to the shore, because the current is typically not very wide. Once you break free, you can then swim to shore.
