JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla. – Two children were rescued from a rip current Saturday afternoon, Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue reported.
Ocean Rescue said the children are both under 10-years-old and are doing fine. They didn’t have any medical issues after they were rescued, but it serves as a good reminder for swimmers to be with someone when they go in the water, no matter what conditions are like.
The 2 children were in the ocean by themselves, and their parents were watching them on the beach when they were pulled under water, lifeguards said.
The conditions were moderate, which lifeguards said is normal this time of year, so expect to see yellow flags out along the beach.
Ocean Rescue said it’s best to swim in front of a lifeguard if possible, and if you feel yourself getting caught in a rip current, stay calm and swim parallel until you can get to the shore or get help.
“A lot of people ask how do they know they are in a rip current or not? Well, if you feel a pull coming against you as you are trying to swim back to shore, that’s when you are possibly in the rip current,” Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue prevention and training officer Max Ervanian said. “So swim parallel to the shore left or right out of the rip current.”