Latest news with #ripcurrents
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
4 rescued from rip currents at North Carolina coast; 2 taken to hospital
HOLDEN BEACH, N.C. (WNCN) — Four people were saved from rip currents at the North Carolina coast on Saturday, with two taken to a hospital following the rescue. The incident was reported Saturday around 5:55 p.m. at the East end of Holden Beach, an island in Brunswick County along the southern coast, officials said. The Holden Beach Police Department said two people — a man and a teen girl — were swimming near The Point of the island. The area is an inlet that cuts between Holden Beach to the west and Oak Island to the east — and connects the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. RELATED: 13 rip current rescues at NC coast week before Memorial Day The National Weather Service said the rip current risk was low Saturday, but with the currents at The Point, the first two swimmers were quickly fighting for their lives, a Holden Beach police shift commander told CBS 17 Saturday night. Two bystanders, both men, jumped into the ocean, trying to save the man and teen girl — but soon those two rescuers also needed saving, police said. The Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department's ocean rescue team was called. The Point area is beyond the last public beach access point — and is difficult to reach, Holden Beach police said. Once crews were able to deploy jet skis, they rescued the man and teen, police said. The pair were taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation but were released by Saturday night, according to police. The two men were also rescued but did not go to a hospital. 'Guys, you've got to be safe (and) stay together. If the water is moving, please, please do not get in there without checking the currents — and stay together,' Holden Beach surf instructor Timothy Turner said in a social media video, adding that he helped with the rescue Saturday. Two weeks ago, 13 people were rescued from rip currents at Emerald Isle beaches in Carteret County, according to the National Weather Service. Moderate rip currents were forecast for the surf that day. Turner recorded two videos on Saturday in which he spoke about running to the rescue scene and warning people about rip currents — especially at the inlet. PREVIOUS: NC teen girl dies in rip currents at Ocean Isle Beach 'I can not stress enough of not letting your families get into the water — if you hear water and see water moving and there is white wash and waves going everywhere,' Turner said about what to avoid. Tri-Beach Volunteer Fire Department has three stations and serves Holden Beach, Varnamtown, and areas of Brunswick County southeast of Shallotte. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Galveston Island Beach Patrol warns of rip currents during Memorial Day
The Brief Interim Chief Lt. Austin Kirwin discusses beach conditions during Memorial Day. Lt. Kirwin shares safety tips on how to stay safe if you are caught by rip current. Lt. Kirwin shared the importance of following all beach safety guidelines. GALVESTON CO, TX - On Memorial Day, many people are either planning to take a trip to Galveston or have made their way down to the island, but Galveston Island Beach Patrol has a warning about rip currents this Memorial Day. Lt. Austin Kirwin with Galveston Island Beach Patrol says they are flying a red flag on the island because of a lot of wave action going on. What they're saying "So there are going to be very strong rip currents, Lt. Kirwin said, "So as you come down, and you look next to the beach, you notice there is a no swim sign. We call that our no-swim zone, and we want to make sure you stay far, far away from those areas." Lt. Kirwin adds that when looking for a place to stop along the beach, keep your eyes open. "The next thing we say is drive down the beach and figure out a good beach to go to, find one with a lifeguard on the stand. How you know a lifeguard is there is because you know the flag is raised above the tower with the logo flag, and the condition flag. Also swim within your ability," said Lt. Kirwin. Why you should care Lt. Kirwin adds jetties are a primary location where rip currents form. "So, as the water pushes against the jetty, it forms a current of water that acts like a rover that goes out to sea. So next to the jetty next to the piers, next to anything that sticks out in the water, they do pull you out to the water, and they do pull you out to sea," said Lt. Kirwin. Lt. Kirwin said if you find yourself in the middle of a rip current it is important to remain calm, but also why it's important to designate a water watcher when enjoying the beach with others. "The current does not pull you under. A lot of people think it does. It only pulls you out to sea, so the best thing you can do is return to shore and remain calm is yell and scream for help. The biggest problem with rip currents is people begin to panic and once you panic you become more tired faster and that's when things start to go bad," said Lt. Kirwin. "You should also designate a water watcher, so if you come down with six people, let five swim and let that sixth person sit there and watch the water and keep the extra eyes on those people." The Source FOX 26 Reporter Leslie DelasBour spoke with Galveston Island Beach Patrol about rip currents.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Memorial Day weekend at NC coast: Concerns after 13 rip current rescues last week, 2 active swim advisories for bacteria
OAK ISLAND, N.C. (WNCN) — With Memorial Day weekend a kickoff for the summer beach season, North Carolina coastal areas are watching for dangerous rip currents and two swimming spots are under scrutiny for high bacteria levels. At least two coastal swim advisories are in effect, with high levels of bacteria recorded heading into the weekend, state officials said. Last weekend, there were 13 rip current rescues in Carteret County at Emerald Isle — which was under a moderate rip current risk at the time, the National Weather Service reported. Just last week, three North Carolina coastal swimming areas were under an advisory by the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program. However, advisories in Dare County at the Outer Banks and in New Hanover County near Wilmington were lifted by Wednesday, state officials said. But, on Thursday, a new swim advisory was issued for a sound-side site in Brunswick County in Southport, officials said. Don't swim at these NC beaches, officials warn; man-of-war swarm OBX and NC island The new advisory is for the public kayak launch in Cottage Creek at the end of W. West Street in Southport. Test results of water samples taken Tuesday and Wednesday indicate bacteria levels that exceed the state and federal action levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters. Also, an earlier swimming advisory in Beaufort County is still in effect for public access to Pantego Creek at East Main and Tooley streets in Belhaven. Test results of water samples indicate a running monthly average of 37 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water. This exceeds the state and federal standards of a running monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters. The advisories are not beach closures. Swimming advisories are for waters within 200 feet of signs erected about each advisory. State recreational water quality officials sample 222 sites throughout the coastal region, most of them weekly, from April to October. Rip currents are an important focus for authorities at the North Carolina coast, where dozens of rip current rescues took place several weekends last summer. A high rip current risk was issued Wednesday for several beaches, including Oak Island in Brunswick County and Emerald Isle in Carteret County. Last weekend, lifeguards rescued 13 Emerald Isle swimmers when there was a moderate risk for rip currents at that beach. For Memorial Day weekend, rip currents are forecast as a moderate risk in most beach areas at the North Carolina coast. Meanwhile, Oak Island officials said Saturday they are still dealing with Portuguese man-o-war washing up on the beach. 'We recommend you watch your step on the strand and stay out of water. Their tentacles are long and burn like (fire),' Oak Island officials said on Facebook. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Gizmodo
21-05-2025
- Climate
- Gizmodo
Florida Fisherman Saves Drowning Teenager With a Drone
Rip currents have already killed 11 people in the U.S. this year, but last week, a Florida teenager managed to avoid joining that group after a quick-thinking shark fisherman used his drone to save her. On Thursday, Andrew Smith went fishing at Pensacola Beach after work. Per WSVN, Smith said, 'I wasn't even going to go out and then my friend convinced me to go.' Only 10 minutes after he arrived, a girl came running up asking if anybody could swim. About a hundred yards away from the shore, her friend was battling a rip current. Smith can't swim due to a seizure disorder. However, that disorder is also why he uses a drone instead of a kayak to set bait for sharks. As the ocean continued dragging the teenage girl out, Smith said, 'I looked down at the drone and I was like, 'Well, the drone can swim but I can't.'' After attaching a flotation device to his drone, Smith flew it across the water. The idea was to provide something for the girl to hold onto until first responders arrived. Unfortunately, the first attempt was a 'terrible miss.' Per WSVN, Smith explained, 'I released it too early, it was really windy. Like, it wasn't close at all.' A bystander handed Smith another flotation device to try again. With this try, Smith said, 'You had to go slower and slower down to her because that was it. That was the last opportunity we were going to have.' Luckily, Smith was able to lower the device 'until you could see her hands grab it, and then I lowered it a little more and I released it. Then she climbed on and started floating.' Paramedics arrived several minutes later. In total, the girl spent about ten minutes caught in the riptide. After being checked over by medical professionals, she was sent home with a clean bill of health. In his ABC News interview, Smith said that authorities told him the girl wouldn't have survived without his help. Luck was on the girl's side in more ways than one. Pensacola Beach is home to Fort Pickens, which has restricted airspace. If the teenagers were just a little farther down, Smith told WSVN, he wouldn't have been able to fly his drone. According to ABC News, the entire ordeal has prompted public officials to consider regularly using drones as lifeguards, which raises an old question: Can drones be good? Drones rightfully catch a lot of flack. In the hands of law enforcement, largely unregulated drone use has facilitated mass surveillance. And regular people flying drones can cause major disruptions. During the Palisades Fire earlier this year, a firefighting aircraft collided with some idiot's drone and, in February, Florida's Senate introduced a bill that would allow property owners to use 'reasonable force' against drones. But drones can be quite useful in competent hands. For example, drones are used to track fires, and researchers have developed drones that could possibly enter and map the layouts of burning buildings. In search and rescue, drones are also revolutionizing missions. Several years ago, a Scottish mountaineer was located by drone after he fell from an ice cliff. A case study noted that rescuers would have normally have faced 'immense challenges' like 'a vast search area and altitudes near the limits of human physiologic function.' 'Without the use of the drone,' it continued, 'locating the climber and executing such an efficient rescue would have been unlikely.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
2 boys hospitalized following water rescue at Ocean Beach
SAN FRANCISCO - Two teenage boys were pulled from the water at Ocean Beach Saturday afternoon, the San Francisco Fire Department said. The boys were brothers and were visiting the beach with their family, traveling from out of town. Officials said the first boy got into the water and was pulled far from the shore, according to the boys' father. The brother swam into the water to rescue him, but it took around 20 minutes to reach the shore. Officials said the brother who went into the water for the rescue drank a lot of water and became cramped as a result. Medics were at the scene by this time and transported both brothers to San Francisco General Hospital. The first brother was reported to be in critical condition and the second brother in moderate condition, officials said. Local perspective The incident comes just days after a man was pulled from the water at Ocean Beach and died from his injuries while trying to rescue a dog. Sukai Curtis-Contreras with the fire department warned beachgoers that Ocean Beach has unique hazards like rip currents and sneaker waves, no matter the conditions, and even adults in ankle-deep water can be pulled in. The fire department does not recommend going into the water unless there is a lifeguard. "Call 911, don't go in the water after a dog, don't go in the water after a person, call 911," she said following the incident. The Source The San Francisco Fire Department
