ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – A person was taken to the hospital Saturday morning after being rescued from the ocean off Atlantic Beach, authorities said.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue said the swimmer was in serious condition.
Authorities said because of medical privacy laws they can’t release any details about the swimmer’s gender or age.
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Jacksonville Beach Ocean Rescue said the swimmer was reported missing around 9 a.m. Saturday in North Jacksonville Beach and was found two hours later in Atlantic Beach, about 4 miles away. It’s possible the swimmer was caught in dangerous conditions in the water, lifeguards said.
Crews searched by land, water and air to find the swimmer, who was immediately given CPR and turned over to Jacksonville Fire and Rescue.
There were dangerous surf conditions in the ocean, including high surf and rough waves. Lifeguards said they’ve been warning beachgoers and encouraging them to not go too far out into the water.
Capt. Rob Emahiser with Ocean Rescue said people should keep in mind it’s late in the season, so they only have a few lifeguards out.
While lifeguards do take preventative measures warning people about the rip currents, Emahiser said it’s better to stay in their line of sight.
“If you’ve got a lifeguard within a few yards, then the lifeguard can get there very quickly. If the lifeguard is half a mile away, they’re probably not going to be able to see you, and it’s going to take a lot longer for us to get there,” Emahiser said. “Someone else is going to have to recognize it and report it, and by then it’s been a little late in the game already. So, if you’re in front of a lifeguard that’s on duty, they could recognize, react, and respond quickly and call for extra help.”
Sometimes civilians get on the towers after hours, but typically, if you see lifeguard equipment or buoys, or an orange flag, that means the tower is manned by a lifeguard.