OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WECT) – A swimmer from Ohio drowned at Oak Island on Sunday, Sept. 1, according to the town police department.

Per the Oak Island Police Department, at 5:15 p.m. its crews, along with the Oak Island Fire Department and Oak Island Water Rescue, were dispatched to a call of a missing swimmer near the beach access at SE 75th Street.

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

Bystanders located Rife in the water, who was unresponsive, and brought him to shore. They began to perform CPR as fire crews arrived. Rife was transported by Brunswick County EMS to Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

As of this time, police have ruled the incident as an accidental drowning. The OIPD is continuing to investigate.

“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 states.

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