Long Beach swimmer dies after being pulled from water, official says

One swimmer died Sunday morning and two others were rescued from the ocean in Long Beach, officials said.

Long Beach first responders were alerted just after 8 a.m. that three swimmers were in distress, acting Police Commissioner Philip L. Ragona said. Lifeguards removed them from the water, and one swimmer suffered cardiac distress after being pulled out, Ragona said. He succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The other two swimmers suffered minor injuries but refused treatment at the scene, Ragona said. Ages of the three swimmers were not immediately available.

The Long Beach Detective Division was investigating.

The death comes just four days after an 18-year-old man died and nine others were rescued after struggling in the surf in Long Beach, officials said at the time.

Earlier Sunday, the National Weather Service had posted a warning about life-threatening rip currents off Long Island through the evening. It was unknown if the three swimmers Sunday morning got caught in rip currents but the weather service advised against swimming in such dangerous conditions.

"If you enter the surf zone, always have a flotation device with you and swim near a lifeguard," the weather service said on its website. "If caught in a rip current, relax and float, and do not swim against the current. If able, swim in a direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the shore and yell or wave for help."