Beachgoers rush to rescue three kids and an adult swept away in rip currents in Florida
.png "Multiple rescues were made at Perdido Key, Florida officials said.")
Several people were rescued after being swept away by a rip current at a Florida beach, officials say.
Escambia County officials first received a report of four swimmers in distress in Perdido Key just before 2 p.m. on Thursday, April 6, a public information officer told McClatchy News. When first responders arrived at the beach, they found seven people in the water in need of rescue.
Originally, three children and one adult had gotten caught in the rip current, Escambia County Fire Rescue Chief Steve Boothe told WKRG. Three beachgoers saw the swimmers struggling and swam out to help them.
The four swimmers had been pulled out about 300 feet at Johnson Beach, WEAR reported.
Two of the children and the adult were airlifted to the hospital, the public information officer told McClatchy News. The third child was taken to the hospital via ambulance.
The four people who were rescued were vacationers, Boothe said, according to WEAR. The three who were taken to a hospital by helicopter are in critical condition.
A second rescue occurred at Perdido Key around 4 p.m. Thursday, according to the Pensacola News Journal. One person “in distress” was pulled from the water by a bystander before they were flown to a hospital.
Escambia County Fire Rescue did not immediately respond to McClatchy News’ request for comment.
Johnson Beach is about 20 miles west of Pensacola.
What is a rip current?
Rip currents are “powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water” that happen on the coasts of the U.S. and in the Great Lakes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
About 100 people are killed by rip currents each year in the U.S., NOAA reported. Lifeguards rescue thousands of people from rip currents annually.
Experts say people can take steps to stay safe from rip currents, including:
Check the local water conditions before getting in.
Talk to a lifeguard at the beach about the conditions.
Only swim at beaches where lifeguards are present.
Don’t assume great weather means good swimming conditions.
This story was originally published April 7, 2023 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Beachgoers rush to rescue three kids and an adult swept away in rip currents in Florida."
