The victims have been identified as 51-year-old Brian Warter and 48-year-old Erica Wishard.
The family was swimming on Hutchinson Island around 1:30 p.m. behind the Marriott Hotel when the couple and two of their children were swept out by a rip current.
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Police said the kids were able to break the current, and tried to help their parents, but the water was too dangerous, and they were forced to swim back to shore.
"Multiple witnesses told our investigators that both the male and female, who are now deceased, got in the ocean, right into a rip current and immediately were pulled from the shore. One of the children of the deceased tried to yell to them instructions on how to swim parallel to the shore, but they were in panic mode and unfortunately went under," Martin County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy John Budensiek told WPBF 25 News.
"Lifeguards entered the water, and were able to pull out one unconscious person and begin CPR," MCFR officials said.
A few moments later, another unconscious swimmer was rescued, and CPR was initiated.
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Those life-saving efforts continued in the ambulance and at the hospital, but doctors said they were not able to be saved.
Both victims were taken to Cleveland Clinic Martin North Hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
A Martin County Sheriff's Crisis Intervention Team Deputy is helping the couple's children as they await the arrival of other family members.
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