A 49-year-old Mays Landing resident died after wading into the Great Egg Harbor River in New Jersey to rescue two children who were struggling to swim. Authorities identified the man as Pablo Hernando Cruz, also referred to in reports as Pablo Hernandez Cruz. The incident occurred on a Wednesday afternoon at Weymouth Furnace County Park in Hamilton Township, where swimming is prohibited.
Tragic Death After River Rescue in New Jersey
According to investigators, two children—ages 8 and 12—went swimming in a prohibited spot of the river. When the children began experiencing difficulty in the water, Cruz saw them struggling and entered the river to help. Paul Horsey, who was at the park with his son Hunter, stated that Cruz pushed the children to where first responders could reach them before submerging into the water. Police confirmed that Cruz was able to retrieve the children and safely get them to shore, but he subsequently went under the water.
Search and Emergency Response
Following the distress call, a frantic police officer alerted Paul and Hunter Horsey, who had just dropped off tubers near the park. The father and son followed the officer to the area where Cruz was last spotted and jumped into the water to search. Hunter Horsey found Cruz underwater and unconscious, bringing him to emergency medical technicians on the riverbank.
EMTs immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation and efforts to try to resuscitate him. Cruz was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition and later passed away. The 12-year-old child was treated and released from a local hospital, while the 8-year-old child was taken to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Dangers of Weymouth Furnace County Park
The incident unfolded under the Weymouth Road Bridge, a location known for its rough, fast-moving waters and a visible turbulent whirlpool. Hunter Horsey described the underwater topography, noting a line where the depth drops rapidly from four or five feet down to 12 feet. Paul Horsey explained that the area appears shallow and inviting on a hot day, leading people to wade in before encountering the sudden drop-off.
Multiple signs warning people not to swim are posted in English and Spanish around the stretch of water. Some of these signs were installed in 2021 following another drowning incident at the same park, where a 23-year-old man drowned in June 2021.
Atlantic County Executive Dennis Levinson extended his condolences to the Cruz family and urged park visitors to heed the warnings regarding swimming in the river. The water is deep and can be dangerous for swimmers which is why we prohibit swimming,
Levinson said, as reported by Fox29. We don’t want any family to have to deal with this type of tragedy.
Jorge Fornia from Vineland expressed disbelief at people ignoring the posted rules, noting Cruz risked his life to save two innocent young kids. The park was closed on Wednesday and reopened on Thursday.
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