A 22-year-old man went missing while swimming off Rockaway Beach during a thunderstorm. Police responded to calls about his disappearance near Beach 20th Street and Seagirt Avenue. Initial search efforts by NYPD's Harbor, Scuba, and Aviation Units were unsuccessful. Kaitlin Krause, a swim safety advocate, was nearby preparing for a water safety talk. She noted the swimmer was a recent immigrant from Niger and his family has sought updates. Krause mentioned the area's hidden dangers and the swift nature of drowning, highlighting that locals are aware of the risks.
"The irony is, I was there to give a water safety talk. I was literally setting up my handouts when I saw the firetrucks charging down the boardwalk."
"At the top it looks calm but under it's moving."
"All the locals know that's a treacherous spot."
"It literally feels like time is set on fire and you're burning it all up, because this kid has no oxygen."
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