By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -- Just two days after Volusia County claimed its beaches were still closed, except for swimming, walking, biking and fishing despite the growing spread of the coronavirus, an elderly man found unresponsive on water's edge in New Smyrna on Mondaydied after he was transported to to hospital.
Here is a synopsis of what occurred as described by a county official in an email media alert Monday night to to Headline Surfer: A little after 4 this afternoon, Beach Safety responded to a 9-1-1 call in reference to a cardiac arrest along the water's edge in New Smyrna.
Other people on the beach saw a man in the ocean who was unresponsive.
"The pedestrians pulled him out of the water and initiated CPR," Volusia County Beach Safety Ocean Rescue Capt. Tamra Malphurs said. "The victim was transported to the hospital and he was pronounced deceased. There were no witnesses, we do not know if this was water related or a medical incident. He was a 72 year old man from New Smyrna Beach."
Malphurs said there was no further information to be released at this time.