Woman dies following water emergency at Oak Island

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY)– A Creedmoor woman has died after being pulled from the water in cardiac arrest at Oak Island on Saturday evening.

According to a press release from the Town of Oak Island, emergency crews were dispatched at 5:57 p.m. to the beach access at 54th Place West after receiving reports of a swimmer in distress. The victim, identified as 58-year-old Lori Ann Scappino, was unresponsive when first responders arrived.

The Oak Island Beach Safety Unit, along with the Oak Island Fire Department and Brunswick County EMS, attempted life-saving measures for more than 30 minutes. Scappino was pronounced dead at the scene.

Earlier in the day, at 5:04 p.m., beach crews had responded to a separate water rescue at 25th Place West. According to officials, two swimmers were successfully returned to shore during that incident.

At the time of both emergencies, Oak Island was flying a yellow beach warning flag, indicating a moderate hazard with potentially strong surf or currents. While the National Weather Service has since downgraded conditions to green, Oak Island Fire Department officials say the yellow flag will remain in place due to local conditions and the day’s rescue activity.

No additional information has been released at this time.