Event narrative (NOAA)
A man ventured into rough and confused surf after completing his shift at the Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) factory just west of Boca Chica Beach. The rough surf, which included intense rip currents and surf waves higher than four feet, took the man quickly offshore, where he was unable to return back and disappeared into the sea, according to Cameron County sheriff deputies on-scene. Another man who accompanied the deceased attempted to rescue him, but could not. Multiple local, state, and federal agencies assisted in the initial search, and the U.S. Coast Guard took over later that day. A search was called off by the U.S. Coast Guard the following morning due to rough seas.||The body of the deceased was found on Boca Chica Beach nearly 36 hours later.
Other notable rip current events in Texas
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.