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Man in critical condition after being pulled from the ocean in Delray Beach

Posted at 10:36 AM, Oct 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-10-09 13:20:23-04

DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- A man is in critical condition after being pulled from the water while paddle boarding in Delray Beach.

Firefighters were dispatched to reports of a possible drowning Sunday just before 9 a.m.

Delray Beach Fire Rescue says a man in his 40s or 50s was paddle boarding when bystanders lost sight of him in the water.

Fire Rescue says the man was in cardiac arrest when witnesses pulled him to shore.

Jamey Penca, of Coral Springs, was one of the people, who rushed over to help. "We saw some commotion on the  water after a couple of paddle boarders were pulling a gentleman out of the water, so we went in and helped him out," said Penca. "When we got onto shore he was unconscious and I started doing CPR. We turned him on his side, got some water out and did the best we could."

Ocean Rescue also performed CPR on the man.

He was transported to Bethesda Hospital, where he remains in critical condition.

Officials are unsure what caused the man to go under.