OCEAN CITY, Md. -- A Columbia man and his 15-year-old daughter drowned in rough water off the 78th Street beach Thursday evening, according to Ocean City police.
Douglas Martin, 46, of Columbia, and his three teenage daughters were swimming around 6 p.m. A witness told police they were drawn quickly into deeper water, police spokesman Pfc. Barry Neeb said.
Martin's 17-year-old daughter was able to swim to shore. His 13-year-old daughter floated on her back and was rescued by an off-duty beach patrol officer, Neeb said. Neeb did not know the names of the two girls.
Martin was on his way back to shore when he realized his 15-year-old daughter, Amy, was still out there and turned around, Neeb said. A U.S. Coast Guard vessel pulled them from the water after both lost consciousness, he said. They were taken to a Coast Guard station and local paramedics took them to Atlantic General Hospital, where Neeb said Douglas Martin was pronounced dead on arrival. His daughter, Amy, died an hour later.
Small craft advisories were in effect, but U.S. Coast Guard Officer First Class Tia Toth told the (Salisbury) Daily Times it's not clear if weather was a factor in the incident.
Martin worked for the government, but friends said his passion was his family.
Doug's wife, Jeanne, home-schools their six children.
Amy was an Irish dancer. She had just made company at Columbia's Culkin School of Dance.
Ocean City Beach Patrol officers said they cleared the water of all swimmers when lifeguards went off duty at 5:30 p.m., but people are allowed to get back in the water.
"We're just all in shock and thankful that they responded so quickly and Mary's OK and Emily's OK," said Karen Bassler, Martin's sister-in-law. "We'll get through this one day at a time, sometimes one minute at a time."
Beach patrol officers said they hope the drowning will serve as a greater reminder to the risks of sea swimming and the safety slogan they often repeat at Ocean City. "Keep your feet in the sand until a lifeguard is in the stand."