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FDNY officials released the following statement:
"We are heartbroken to learn about the death of Firefighter Mark Batista, who died Friday while swimming at the Jersey Shore.
Firefighter Batista was a dedicated public servant who spent fifteen years serving in the FDNY, as both an EMT and a firefighter. We join his family in mourning his tragic passing."
Batista, 39, went into the waters off the Sylvania Avenue beach around 8:30 a.m. Friday, June 9, in an effort to save his teen daughter, caught in the rough surf.
The girl was saved by rescuers but Batista's body wasn't found until nearly 10 a.m., and he was pronounced dead at the hospital, despite life-saving efforts, police said.
The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office cautioned beach-goers not to enter the water when lifeguards are not on duty.
Batista was in his 15th year with the FDNY and assigned to Engine Co. 226.
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