Father dies after trying to rescue son from ocean in Atlantic City

A man died Monday morning after entering the ocean to save his 11-year-old son from drowning at a beach in Atlantic City.

Atlantic City police on Tuesday identified the man as Thanh Bui, a 58-year-old from Reading.

A former police officer from Amsterdam, N.Y., saw Bui struggling in the water about 9:30 a.m. at the beach near New Jersey Avenue, and entered the water to help, police said.

The officer tried to pull Bui on a boogie board, and Atlantic City first responders helped the two get out of the water.

Bui was unresponsive, and responders performed CPR. The young boy made it to the shoreline, and both the son and father were transported to the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, where Bui later died, police said.

The boy’s name was not released, and information about his condition wasn’t available. Police said Tuesday his injuries weren’t considered life-threatening.

The Atlantic City Beach Patrol was not on duty at the time of the incident, but lifeguards responded when they were alerted to people struggling in the water, police said.

There was a moderate risk of rip currents at Shore beaches on Monday.