Updated: June 18, 2012 5:39PM

A Mount Prospect man who drowned in Virginia Beach, Va., had been trying to save a relative.

Police identified the man as Steven L. Henry of Mount Prospect. Henry, 56, had been visiting family in Virginia Beach.

WAVY-TV reported that Henry’s daughter frantically searched for and called for him, running along the beach,

A child was in the water near Henry, witnesses told reporters, but was OK.

Lifeguards pulled Henry from the water and tried to revive him. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The police issued a statement saying only: “We responded to a call that a man was incapacitated in the water. He was unresponsive when we arrived and was pronounced dead shortly after.”

The surf was choppy at the time, with red flags flying in the Oceanfront resort area because of dangerous conditions.

Authorities said Henry’s death was the first drowning in Virginia Beach in 2012.

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