OAK ISLAND, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina man drowned in the water off Oak Island and a handful of other swimmers in the area required assistance Sunday, authorities said.

A news release from the town of Oak Island said responders arrived Sunday afternoon to find the man had been pulled to shore and bystanders were administering CPR.

The town identified the man as Kevin Whitley, 52, of Hickory.

Emergency medical personnel performed resuscitation efforts for over 30 minutes before pronouncing the man dead, the town said.

Related: Remnants of Colin continue to impact to North Carolina

Sunday's deadly incident was among more than a half dozen calls for “rescue” in the Oak Island and Caswell Beach areas as of late Sunday afternoon, the town said.

The water remained unsettled due to Tropical Storm Colin, and officials upgraded the beach warning system from a yellow flag to a red flag, indicating a high risk of rip and longshore currents and dangerous surf conditions.

The town said the drowning and distress calls couldn't be confirmed to be directly related to rip currents, but beachgoers still were urged to use caution. 

“Beachgoers should stay out of the water, as there is no ‘safe’ water depth identified on RED flag days,” the town's news release said.

The storm formed along the South Carolina coast on Saturday morning and by late Saturday night had weakened to a remnant low.

TV station WECT reports Sunday's drowning is the fourth at Oak Island this year.