One person dies as rescuers rush to multiple calls on NC beach, town says

A woman who died on the beach was among “multiple water rescue calls” received within an hour on North Carolina’s Oak Island, according to town officials.

The first of the calls came around 5 p.m. Saturday, July 12, town officials said in a news release.

“The Oak Island Beach Safety Unit entered the water to assist multiple swimmers in distress. Additional units and watercraft were called,” the city reported in a news release.

“A successful rescue was made and two swimmers were returned to shore. As crews were finishing that response, at 5:57 p.m. they were dispatched ... in response to a cardiac arrest victim who had been pulled from the water.”

The woman was identified as Lori Ann Scappino, a veterinarian at Mule Town Veterinary Hospital in Creedmoor, which is about a 15-mile drive northeast from Durham.

Crews spent 30 minutes trying to revive 58-year-old Scappino, officials said.

Details of what caused the swimmers to become endangered were not released.

Ocean hazards were considered moderate (yellow flags) at the time, officials said.

Rip currents are the greatest threat off North Carolina’s beaches, experts say.

“Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says. “Speeds are typically 1-2 feet per second, but speeds as high as 8 feet per second have been measured. ... Drowning deaths occur when people, pulled away from the shoreline, are unable to keep themselves afloat and swim to shore.”

Oak Island is about a 160-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.

This story was originally published July 14, 2025 at 11:42 AM with the headline "One person dies as rescuers rush to multiple calls on NC beach, town says."