Once the clock strike 6 p.m., lifeguards at New York City beaches end their shift.

“As soon as the lifeguards leave, everyone goes into the waters,” said Kim Metrock, who never lets her 12-year-old child go into the water unsupervised.

“Even when the lifeguards are here and it gets crowded here, they don’t have eyes everywhere,” said Metrock.

Officials announced Wednesday that a 26-year-old man named Kristoffer Williams died on July 17 near Beach 95th Street in Rockaway Beach. Authorities said he’s the first person to die this summer while a lifeguard was on duty.

“We need to see more coordination amongst the New York City Police Department, OEM, the New York City Parks Department and, more importantly, the beach hours extended and the beach season extended at a time when climate change is real,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards.

According to city data, six people have died so far this year after being pulled from the waters of city beaches.

"We are in a swim and water safety crisis in this city. We have just had six drownings, which is as much as we've had since 2019. We need comprehensive solutions,” said City Councilman Shekar Krishnan.

Sources said there are currently 920 lifeguards employed at city beaches.

“We need to do far more to hire, keep and train lifeguards. We only have half the lifeguards we need to cover our schools and beaches,” said Krishnan.

Earlier this month, Queens lawmakers launched a pilot program called “Wavemakers,” which teaches second graders how to swim in areas where swimming access is limited.

“It’s an example of what we can do as a city if we actually invest in teaching all of our children, our seniors, every New Yorker how to swim,” said Krishnan.

Police said they’re waiting for the official cause of death for Williams and another man named Moises Rodriguez who died in Rockaway on July 22.