Jersey Shore Rescue: Young Girl Saved, Sister Tragically Drowns

Jersey Shore Rescue: Young Girl Saved, Sister Tragically Drowns

Two women ran up to Thomas Walsh, who had just finished bodysurfing in the ocean in Belmar.

The women shouted at him, "Where are the lifeguards!?" There's a girl who might be drowning.

The time was early on Friday evening. Even seasoned swimmers found it difficult to swim in the water due to the strong rip current.

In the hopes that the women were mistaken, Walsh, a retired correctional police officer from Monmouth County, hurried back into the ocean. Sadly, they weren't; Walsh saved her younger sister, but a 13-year-old girl drowned in the waves.

Other guys jumped into the ocean to assist Walsh, 51, of Freehold, who was already in the ocean. While looking for the girls, Walsh swam out till the water reached his chest. Then, someone gestured toward the jetty.

"I just saw a head; her face was submerged in the water. Even though I had the worst case scenario in mind, I decided to go get her and proceed with the next step. "We'll take it from there," Walsh responded, "once you get her on the rocks."

Reaching over, he wrapped his arms around her. Luckily, she remained aware. "My sister, my sister, my sister is still out there," was all she could say to Walsh.

I'm trying to catch my breath now that I'm on the rocks. "I'm searching, but I can't see anything," Walsh remarked.

According to Belmar Police Belmar Water Rescue arrived on scene and entered the water to attempt to locate the missing 13-year-old juvenile. At approximately 7:29 pm, the victim was found unresponsive in the water off the 7th Avenue beach.

About an hour later, Sameeha Sultana, 13, the girl's sister, was discovered unconscious at 7th Avenue, one block north. She was retrieved from the ocean by rescuers and the U.S. Coast Guard, and CPR was administered. After being transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, she was declared deceased.

Young Muslims of Jersey City arranged the girls' youth group excursion to Belmar, which arrived at the beach at 5:30 p.m., just after lifeguards had left for the day.