Pennsylvania man found dead floating off North Carolina beach

BUXTON, N.C. — Park officials on the North Carolina coast say the body of a Pennsylvania man was found floating in the ocean.

The National Park Service said in a news release the unidentified 79-year-old man was discovered 30 yards from the beach Saturday near the north end of Buxton at the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area.

A bystander who tried to resuscitate the man and emergency personnel continued efforts to revive him after responding to a call around 2 p.m.

Although rip currents were forecast for the area and the man was found in the water, the park service said the cause of death is unknown.

It's the first swimming-related fatality off Cape Hatters National Seashore area in 2018. There were seven swimming-related fatalities in 2017 and eight in 2016.

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Associated Press