Two people — including a 19-year-old — drowned this week at same SC park, officials say
Two people drowned this week at the same South Carolina park, officials said.
A 43-year-old man was with his family at Irving Pitts Memorial Park in Ware Shoals when he died on Monday, May 30. The next day, a 19-year-old’s body was found at the same riverfront destination, roughly 40 miles south of Greenville, according to police.
Witnesses said the 19-year-old — identified as Bernard Dimtri Mason — jumped into the water before he vanished under the surface, WYFF reported.
“He was on a slope,” Drennon Oxner told the news outlet. “Looked away. Next thing I looked over and he was gone.”
Crews started searching the area on May 31. Mason was found dead in about 5 feet of water and 20 feet off shore, Lt. Jessica Davis of the Ware Shoals Police Department told McClatchy News in a phone interview.
The drowning marked the second straight day of tragedy reported at the park, which lies along the Saluda River.
Another man — identified as 43-year-old Saul Diaz Luna — died at the park on May 30, according to the Laurens County Coroner’s Office. The county resident was crossing slippery rocks before he was found dead in about 8 feet of water, officials said.
Police warned swimmers to be careful in the river, which could reach depths of up to 30 feet in some spots, according to news outlets.
“Even an avid swimmer, working with a current, it’s not like a swimming pool,” Sgt. Kyle Beasley told WSPA. “There are undertows that could get you and by the time that you realize you’re in trouble, it could already be too late.”
The park was closed ahead of a June 2 meeting, which could feature a discussion on possible safety measures. The area has postings warning people to swim at their own risk, according to Davis.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with the correct name of the man who died May 30 following an update from the Laurens County Coroner’s Office.
This story was originally published June 1, 2022 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Two people — including a 19-year-old — drowned this week at same SC park, officials say."
