Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
A Methuen man died after going into the water to save a child at Salisbury Beach Wednesday.
Gary Simard, 44, was at the beach with family when one of the children with them got pulled far from shore and could not swim back in, according to Essex District Attorney Paul F. Tucker’s office.
Simard and two bystanders went into the water to save the child. The two bystanders successfully brought the child back to shore, but then could not locate Simard, officials said.
Firefighters and police officers responded to the beach just before 12:45 p.m. after receiving reports of multiple swimmers in distress. They were told that four people were caught in a rip current.
First responders found that most of those in distress had been successfully removed from the water “through the heroic actions of bystanders,” according to a social media post from Salisbury Fire Chief Scott Carrigan.
Simard remained in the water about 50 to 75 yards from shore. He appeared to be unresponsive. First responders were able to bring him back to land within a few minutes.
Life saving measures were performed on Simard as soon as he made it to shore. He was transported to Seabrook Emergency Room, where he was pronounced dead, according to Tucker’s office.
One of the other people who helped save the child was sent to a local hospital due to breathing troubles, but was later released, officials said.
Rip current risk levels are available to the public through the National Weather Service. Swimmers should know the risk levels before going to the beach, and stay away from piers and jetties, as permanent rip currents often exist alongside these structures, according to the NWS.
NOAA offers the following tips for people stuck in rip currents:
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
Stay up to date with everything Boston. Receive the latest news and breaking updates, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com