JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Action News Jax has learned the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended the search for a missing swimmer at Huguenot Beach Park.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said on Saturday, three adults were swimming in the ocean when they began struggling against the undertow. Bystanders were able to rescue two of the adults; however, one adult male went under and did not resurface.
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Witnesses in the area credit a Jacksonville man for trying to rescue that swimmer and others. James Mack tells Action News Jax he tried to save four people that day with only one unsuccessful attempt.
Around 4 p.m. Saturday, Mack’s fishing day at the riverside area of Huguenot Beach Park turned anything but routine. He said the strong undertow overtook a woman and her son who had swam out too far, and no lifeguards were around.
“She was completely unconscious, not breathing, no pulse. When the boat waved over, they call for anybody who knew CPR and CPR certified. And I’m CPR certified. I immediately went into the water,” Mack said. “Once we got her on land, I started doing compressions and mouth-to-mouth and got her breathing again.”
RELATED: JSO, Coast Guard search for man who disappeared while swimming at Huguenot Park
Mack said the woman’s son assisted him. He said the woman’s husband who spoke no English, came thereafter, misunderstood the situation, and got into a confrontation with law enforcement.
“I’m a wrestler in jujutsu so I had to submit him so he didn’t go to jail,” Mack said.
Then Mack said he spotted a man and woman drowning and signaled boats to rescue them both. Mack said he then spotted their brother, a 29-year-old named Donte laying face down in the water floating. JSO confirmed that its marine units are still searching for 29-year-old Donte Wanton.
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“I got within 20 yards of him before he went down. And I was for over a minute, trying to find him in that rip current seeing if he would float into me. I just stayed underwater and I couldn’t find him. And I started choking on water myself so I had to go back to shore,” Mack said.
Mack said he had to spend the night in the hospital because of all the water he ingested. He even allowed the brother and girlfriend of the victim to stay at his house overnight as their as they lost their car keys. Mack has a warning for anyone in the river area of Huguenot.
“They should just have a no swimming sign on the Riverside,” Mack said. “It’s made for fishing. The Riverside is for fishing. If you want to swim, go to the oceanside.”
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Here’s what Mack advises if you should get caught in a rip current:
“Take a big deep breath before you go down, hold your breath and just float, don’t fight, don’t swim against it, you’re gonna burn your energy just float. You will come up out of the water. Sit on your back and float” Mack said.
“I am so sorry for the person that couldn’t be saved,” Mack said.
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