By: David Ben Hooren

An unidentified man in his 30s was found dead off the coast of Rockaway Beach early Monday morning, marking the fifth drowning at New York City beaches this summer.

This incident underscores a growing concern over beach safety, as the number of drownings this year matches last year’s total, yet the city has not implemented additional safety measures.

Bystanders alerted police to the man’s body floating in the water around 12:30 a.m. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead on arrival at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital. While the cause of death has not been officially released, police have stated that they do not consider it suspicious.

The recent drownings have sparked criticism of the Adams administration from local officials who are demanding expanded lifeguard hours and increased staffing at city beaches. With a particularly hot summer in full swing, the pressure is mounting to take action before more lives are lost.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards expressed his frustration with the current safety protocols. “We’re only, technically, at the beginning of the summer,” Richards told The Post. “There’s a lot more work that the city needs to do.” Richards has been vocal about the need for extending the beach season past September 8, constructing more community pools, and ensuring lifeguards are on duty until at least 7 p.m.

The tragic deaths of four other individuals earlier this summer have fueled these calls for action. Among the victims were sisters Zainab Mohammed, 17, and Aisha Mohammed, 18, who drowned at Coney Island Beach, as well as Elyjha Chandler, 16, and Christian Perkins, 17, who lost their lives at Jacob Riis Park in June.

Richards and other city officials, including Council Member Shekar Krishnan, Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, and Council Member Justin Brannan, have been advocating for more comprehensive water safety measures. They are urging the city to offer expanded free swimming lessons, universal aquatics programs, increased lifeguard staffing, and the creation of more public pools to prevent these “recurring nightmares.”

The officials also propose opening new certification tests for NYC Parks lifeguards and flexible recruitment of Red Cross and YMCA-certified lifeguards. Krishnan introduced a bill in February to extend New York City’s beach and pool season from the second Saturday in May to the second Sunday in October, with operating hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Despite these efforts, the city administration has been slow to act

During a July 9 news conference, Mayor Eric Adams and Deputy Mayor Meera Joshi did not commit to extending lifeguard hours. Instead, they highlighted the use of NYPD drones and NYC Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers to monitor beaches after hours. Joshi emphasized the importance of educating the public about swimming only when lifeguards are present.

Currently, about 870 lifeguards are on staff, but more than 1,500 are needed.