Swimmers Caught in Rip Current, Rescued by Bystanders
Posted at: 07/02/2012 3:46 PM
| Updated at: 07/02/2012 11:04 PM
By: Dayna Landgrebe
Choppy waters had authorities rushing to rescue three people caught in a rip tide on Lake Superior.
It happened around 11:40 a.m. on Monday. Duluth Fire Department's Assistant Chief Erik Simonson said two children and a female adult were out swimming when the got caught in the current.
Simonson said bystanders at 1220 S. Lake Avenue helped to pull the three from the water, showing them how to swim sideways to navigate against the current.
Simonson said the department initially marked beach conditions with a green rip current warning flag, and was in the process of changing to yellow when the incident occurred. The flags indicate what lake conditions are like each day.
Simonson said afterward, they upgraded rip current conditions to a red flag warning. Surf conditions come from a special surf zone forecast from the National Weather Service.
Simonson said the female swimmer was taken to an area hospital after taking in a lot of water and suffering exhaustion.
Rip Current Flag Warning Conditions
- Green: Calm winds and low risk of rip currents
- Yellow: Stronger waves with moderate risk of rip currents
- Red: High surf and large swells with frequent risk of rip currents
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