The man who was rushed to the hospital Friday after being pulled from the water at Long Point has died, according to the district attorney’s office.
Kevin Foster, a 55-year-old Cambridge resident, was one of several people at the West Tisbury south shore beach last week who got caught in a riptide, officials said.
Rescuers were called to the Trustees of Reservations-owned wildlife refuge at 3:47 p.m. for a report of people in distress in the water. Trustees spokesperson Mary Dettloff said a group of five people got stuck in the strong current.
Mr. Foster was unconscious and not breathing when he was brought onto land and loaded into an awaiting Tri-Town ambulance, according to officials. Cape and Islands District Attorney spokesperson Danielle Whitney confirmed on Monday that Mr. Foster later died.
The other four made it back safely to the beach with the assistance of rescuers and beachgoers.
In the wake of Mr. Foster’s death, the Trustees closed the beach for the weekend, and refunded people who had booked reservations for the refuge. The conservation nonprofit said the choice was made due to the conditions on the water and out of respect for the community and Trustees staff.
“At this time, our priority is supporting the efforts of the community and the well-being of all visitors and staff,” the Trustees wrote on social media.
The beach also remained closed to swimming on Monday due to the rough water conditions.
Long Point is one of the more remote areas on the Vineyard, and it took rescuers about 30 minutes to drive down the winding dirt roads to get to the beach.
Lifeguards from South Beach in Edgartown drove five miles on ATVs to provide aid to the rescuers and team of beachgoers who helped pull the swimmers in.
“It’s definitely one of the more challenging areas to access,” said Tri-Town Ambulance chief Ben Retmier.
Lifeguards are not stationed at the Trustees beach, though there is rescue equipment there for rangers. There are often riptides along the Vineyard’s south shore and Edgartown guards pulled several people from the water at South Beach the same day that Mr. Foster died.
Despite the tragic outcome, West Tisbury police Chief Bradley Cortez commended everyone’s efforts.
“They worked as hard as they could,” he said.
This article appears in August 7, 2026.
Could you please, please, please use news stories like this to educate beach goers about how to recognize rip currents. A link to videos like this one from NOAA could save live:
https://cdn.oceanservice.noaa.gov/oceantodayprod/media/ripcurrentfeature/ripcurrent_feature_sm.mp4
What an EXCELLENT video, thank you much!
My deepest sympathies to the Foster family.
I agree with Peter J. Articles likes this are an opportunity to educate and help prevent future accidents.
For what it’s worth, to spot a rip current:
– Look for a gap in the line of breaking waves, water that’s choppier or a different color than the surrounding surf, or foam and seaweed streaming steadily away from the beach.
And what to do if you’re caught in one:
– Don’t try to swim straight back to shore. Exhaustion from fighting the flow is what usually kills people.
– Float or tread water & get your breathing under control.
– Swim parallel to the beach. Most of these channels are only 10-30 yards across, so a short lateral effort gets you out of the pull.
– Once you feel the drag release, angle in toward the beach at a diagonal, riding the breaking waves rather than pushing against them.
– If you can’t break free, float on your back, and signal for help by waving one arm and shouting.
I have been swimming/surfing longpoint my whole life. I have never seen the sandbars and beach as funky as it is this year. There are deep pockets of water right before the sand bars and they’re super tough to get out of if you’re stuck there. Even on a surfboard it can be a pain if you’re in it. The beach is also very steep and goes from 1-2 ft to 5+ almost instantly. All in all, I think its relatively safe, but when the waves start up even a little bit I would play it as safe as possible. Also its almost impossible to see the rips right now, they’re not as organized and clear as the little guidebooks and safety diagrams make it seem.
I was on the beach when the tragedy happened. My niece, Anna Duffy, rescued two of the teenage boys I believe, the father went into the water to help rescue his boys, but never got to them and drowned. That beach could use a lot more rescue buoys/equipment.
Everybody knows that swim at your own risk, but it took a long time to get the equipment.
The rescue equipment should be on postsevery 50 yards-and you need more than one or two.
It is my understanding that Mr. Foster drowned trying to help others he noticed were in distress. Any article regarding his tragic passing should reference this honorable act.
Your understanding is correct, as is your compassion for the family and loved ones of Mr. Foster.
We have been seasonal residents for over thirty years and members of the of the Trustees for all that time. We visited Long Point long ago and saw that the beach safety situation was not adequate for our family’s day at the beach. The south shore beaches can be much too dangerous for the average beachgoer. I am very saddened and disappointed to read that Long Point is still not staffed with professionals who can monitor and control the beach when dangerous conditions occur.
Not the time or the place Bill.
If you have suggestions, criticisms, or comments, as a 30-year Trustees member, I think you know the place to lodge them is not the comments section of an article about a man heroically dying.
What would it cost to hire life guards? With the money they bring in it should be done asap. This is tragic… I am sorry to the Foster family.
Please help support the Foster family and education fund via their GoFundMe campaign. https://www.gofundme.com/f/supporting-nadia-kenneth-and-kaden-after-kevins-loss
It is also my understanding that Mr. Foster went into the water to save his sons. I agree the article and all articles should be updated to reflect this father’s bravery.