A 16-year-old Deer Park girl drowned while swimming with a friend near the San Luis Pass Bridge in Galveston County on Sunday, authorities said.

Danea Potter and another 16-year-old girl were swimming around 6:40 p.m. about 20 feet from the south side of the bridge, about 50 yards offshore, when one went under, said Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis.

A woman nearby was able to pull one of the teens out of the water and told authorities the two girls were trying to help one another stay above the water, Davis said.

Beach patrol authorities and paramedics were called to the scene.

After about a 45-minute search by divers and rescuers aboard a helicopter and a personal watercraft, the teen's body was found about three-quarters of a mile from the original scene, Davis said, adding that the girl was submerged for more than an hour.

Efforts to revive the teen failed and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The other girl was taken to John Sealy Hospital, where she is expected to survive.

Davis said that particular part of the island is dangerous because of the tidal flow. Warning signs about dangerous currents are posted along the beach.

He cautioned those coming to the beach to remember that it is best to swim near lifeguards and at beach fronts.

With high winds on Sunday, weather forecasters warned of a likely increase of rip currents.

Davis said the high and the low tide were only about 3½ hours apart and the tide was moving in the same direction as the wind, making the surface currents much stronger.

He added that this weekend was the busiest so far for water rescues. The beach patrol made about eight rescues on Saturday and two on Sunday. They also moved about 350 people out of dangerous waters this weekend.