Jamiel Cooper was a 14-year-old high school student that died in a tragic drowning accident this past Sunday at Busco Beach in Goldsboro, North Carolina. His body was found on Monday morning, says NBC News. This misfortunate event was one that struck everyone by surprise. It is said he Cooper and his high school buddies were out swimming and enjoying their summer day when he never returned from the water. Jack Bennet, Busco Beach’s founder reports that everyone was out camping and celebrating their Fourth of July weekend when this tragedy occurred, and it caught everyone by surprise.
It is stated that this beach had no lifeguards on duty at that time. Friends of Cooper claim that they were trying to swim out to small island that was across the water. This undisclosed teen recalls that it was at the moment he reached the shores of the island that he noticed his two other friends starting to drown. He says that they were in some form of trouble; this is possibly due to the conditions of the waters at the time. This teen was able to make it back to the beach safely, and the other friend was saved by a rescuer. Jamiel Cooper wasn’t as fortunate however, the rescuers were unable to get to him on time and his body was submersed under water.
Statistics according to International Life Saving Federation state that around the world over 1.2 million people die to drowning accidents per year, more than half of these being children. Nationwide it is said that 10 people die daily from these accidents in the water. While this is a tragic event, well known and loved Busco Beach in the 20 years this man made beach has been in existence, have had only five drowning accidents.