Dominican-born firefighter dies saving daughter from rip current
A highly-respected Dominican-born member of the New York City Fire Department (FDNY) lost his life last week while heroically attempting to save his daughter who had been swept up in a rip current at a New Jersey beach.
Dedicated firefighter and paramedic
Mark Batista, 39, had worked as an emergency medical technician, as well as a firefighter, dedicating fifteen years of his life to serving the FDNY.
The day of the tragedy
Local media reports suggest the incident took place on a Friday morning, while Batista was off duty. He had reportedly jumped into the water to retrieve his teenage daughter who had become trapped in the current.
Fire department statement
The FDNY released a statement following the sad news: “We are heartbroken to learn of the death of firefighter Mark Batista, who died Friday while swimming off the New Jersey shore. Firefighter Batista was a dedicated public servant who spent fifteen years serving with the FDNY, both as a paramedic and a firefighter. We join his family in mourning his tragic passing.”
Efforts to save the two swimmers
The local authorities acted quickly to the incident. A water rescue team was dispatched, and they used jet skis to look for Batista and his daughter. While Batista was found, he passed away later in hospital, and his daughter was taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center after her rescue.
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