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Child Rescued Off Bethany Beach

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BETHANY BEACH, Del. (AP) - Two men have rescued a child from rough conditions off Bethany Beach.

Bethany Beach Police Chief Mike Redmon tells the Salisbury Daily Times Public Works employee Sean Ely was on the beach Monday when a woman ran to him and said her 11-year-old son was trapped in the surf.

Ely called police, and then ran into the water to attempt a rescue. Ely was able to reach the boy, but the rough conditions were making it hard for him to keep the boy's head above water.

The first responding officer, Sgt. Chuck Scharp, stripped off his gear and ran into the water. He swam to the boy and instructed him to hold onto his back while he swam to shore.

All three made it out of the water safely.

The boy and his mother declined medical treatment at the scene.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.