VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A swimmer died after being pulled from the ocean near International Speedway Approach in Daytona Beach on Friday afternoon, according to Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue officials.
Officials are warning people on the beach to stay close to the shoreline.
"One minute, you're in the water. The next minute, they take you out, and there's nothing you can do," Heather Shumake said.
Shumake said she was out on the beach with her family when she saw emergency crews helping two distressed swimmers.
"The helicopters kept flying around, and the lifeguards were down and pulling people out of the water," Shumake said.
A spokeswoman said the male swimmer was unresponsive when he and a female were pulled from the water around 4:30 p.m. Both were taken to an area hospital, where the male died. The female's condition is unknown.
"That's scary. I think it comes from inexperience. If you swim in the ocean for any amount of time, you know to be careful and were taught to swim sideways," Peter Laine said.
The swimmers' names and ages have not been released. Officials said they were both from out of the country.
Officials said they were searching for a third person in the surf, but it has since been confirmed that there was not a third missing person.
The red flag was flown Friday due to hazardous rip current conditions, which will likely be the case throughout the weekend. Twelve people were rescued from Volusia County waters Friday.
Officials are warning people to swim near lifeguard towers.
"It's sad that people don't pay attention to the red flags," Shumake said.