Man drowns in ocean while on beach vacation with family, police say

OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WECT/Gray News) – A man on a beach vacation with his family drowned over the Labor Day weekend, according to the Oak Island Police Department in North Carolina.

Authorities were told 37-year-old Brannon Rife, of Ohio, was swimming with his family in Oak Island when they lost sight of him in the water.

Bystanders found Rife in the water and brought him to shore. He was unresponsive and they began to perform CPR until rescue crews arrived.

Crews with the Oak Island Police Department, the fire department and water rescue were called to help around 5:15 p.m.

Police have ruled the drowning as an accident at this time.

“There were no reported signs of distress, and no adverse water conditions were apparent at the time; surf conditions were at green flag. It is unknown at this time if there were any pre-existing or sudden medical conditions which may have been a contributing factor,” the police department stated.

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