A 48-year-old visitor to the island has died after getting into difficulty at a Southampton beach, police confirmed yesterday.

A spokesman said police and emergency medical personnel were called to Horseshoe Bay Beach shortly after 3pm on Monday, after reports that two men were having trouble in the water.

He said both were brought on to the beach, where medical staff commenced life-saving measures. Both men were taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment.

However, one of the men, said to come from the United States, was pronounced dead, while the second was treated and discharged.

The spokesman added: “A police family liaison officer is now assisting the relatives of the deceased during this difficult time.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Pc Jennifer Suter on 295-0011 or via e-mail at jsuter@bps.bm.

A witness told The Royal Gazette that she was walking on the beach with a friend when they spotted a swimmer in difficulty.

She said the man was about 40 yards out and people were trying to reach him.

The woman said that a rescuer reached the man after several minutes and pulled him ashore using his surfboard.

People on shore performed chest compressions and used a defibrillator machine on the man.

The woman, who described herself as a certified Red Cross lifeguard, said she had tried her best to give directions to those attending to the man.

She added: “The entire incident took about ten minutes.”

The Department of Parks said yesterday that, because of rough seas, “high surf” notices had been posted at South Shore beaches and public parks and that no lifeguards would be on duty this week at Horseshoe Bay.

The department urged beachgoers to prioritise safety, follow the posted warnings and stay informed about conditions.

The Ministry of Public Works gave its condolences to the victim’s friends and family.

A spokesman added: “Lifeguard services are provided during the peak season, and as the island approaches the end of the 2024 lifeguard season, these services are gradually winding down.

“In light of recent rough sea conditions, ‘high surf’ warning signs have been posted along South Shore beaches since Sunday to inform and protect the public.”

He said the department had been working to recruit and train lifeguards, but had run into difficulties with recruitment, as stated by Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the public works minister, in the House of Assembly in May.

In that instance, Colonel Burch told MPs: “While it is acknowledged that the lifeguard service is experiencing shortages, the issues are fundamentally deeper than just financial figures ― it is about attracting personnel.”

His comments came after the death last March of another US visitor at Horseshoe Bay, Hyon Duk Shin from Pennsylvania, after he swam to the aid of a young child struggling in high waves.

The ministry spokesman said this evening: “We have had marginal success in recruiting lifeguards and, as this work is seasonal, we are likely to continue to face such challenges in the future.”