Rip current pulls 5 people, including 4 teens, out to sea, California rescuers say

Rescuers saved five people, including four teenagers, from being swept out to sea by a rip current off a San Francisco beach, California firefighters reported.

The teens and one adult were rescued about 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 10, at Ocean Beach, the San Francisco Fire Department reported on Twitter, now rebranded as X.

The five people had gone into the surf and were being pulled out by a rip current, the department’s coastal rescue team said.

One rescuer paddled out and saved two teenage girls who were struggling underwater, the agency said.

Another first responder rescued two teenage brothers and an adult who also were being swept out by the rip current. None of those rescued required hospitalization, authorities said.

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 September 11, 2023 at 8:54 AM.