Swimmer's Death at Assateague Island Sparks Calls for More Lifeguards

Last month, on July 24, a tragic incident occurred at Assateague Island National Seashore in Maryland. An 18-year-old man drowned while swimming in the waters of the park, sparking renewed calls for the restoration of lifeguard staffing.

The incident took place around 4:15 pm, when a relative of the swimmer ran down the beach to alert a lifeguard that two people were struggling in the water. One swimmer was rescued, but the 18-year-old man was found unconscious and was later pronounced dead at a hospital.

The area where the man was swimming was nearly 150 yards from the lifeguarded zone of the beach, highlighting the dangers posed by the lack of lifeguard coverage. This tragedy comes just weeks after Maryland Senators Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks emphasized in a joint letter that the low lifeguard staffing at Assateague Island created a significant public safety risk.

The senators urged the Trump administration to fill all vacant lifeguard positions at the park, as federal budget cuts had led to a severe shortage of staff. The National Park Service acknowledged the lifeguard shortage as a "nationwide concern," with the administration laying off nearly 1,000 NPS employees earlier this year as part of a cost-cutting effort.

Assateague Island is known for its strong rip currents, and lifeguards made 24 rescues on the island in 2024, according to the senators' letter. The lack of lifeguards has placed an undue burden on neighboring beach safety and emergency response efforts, making the entire area less safe for both residents and visitors.