Police: Man who drowned in Bristol tried to help teens caught in riptide

BRISTOL, R.I. (WPRI) ─ A Providence man died after trying to rescue three teens from a riptide in Bristol, according to Bristol Police Captain Brian Burke.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon on the shoreline off Harrison Street.

Burke said Hoen Chin, 56, was with family and friends by the water when three teens that were swimming nearby became caught in a riptide.

Chin jumped into the water in an attempt to help the teens, Burke said, but he became caught in the tide and was swept underwater. The three teens were ultimately able to make it back to shore.

After roughly 10 minutes, Burke said Chin was found unresponsive and pulled to shore by a bystander near Narrows Point. He was rushed to Rhode Island Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

“The thoughts and prayers of the Bristol Police Department are extended to the Chin family,” Burke said in a statement.

Burke said Chin was familiar with the area and was a place he and his family frequented in the past.