FILE: As temperatures rise this summer, more people are expected to flock to U.S. beaches. And as more people head into the water, officials are warning beachgoers to be aware of rip currents. Spokesperson for the American Lifeguard Association Wyatt Werneth joined FOX Weather in February 2025 to explain what a rip current is, how to spot one and how to stay safe.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A day at the beach took a turn for the worse Sunday after multiple swimmers nearly drowned at Fort Lauderdale Beach in South Florida.
According to Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue Public Information Officer Frank Guzman, the department responded to 911 calls reporting a drowning in the Atlantic Ocean near the B Ocean Resort at about 7:20 p.m., about 20 minutes after Ocean Rescue lifeguards had gone off duty for the day. Ocean Rescue lieutenants who were still wrapping up their day heard the call and rushed to the scene.
Guzman said a juvenile girl was struggling in the water, and her father was in the water nearby trying to save her. A good Samaritan also attempted to help her but became overwhelmed and returned to the beach.
FILE – Storm clouds sit offshore at Fort Lauderdale Beach on Aug. 16, 2024, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
(Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun Sentinel / Tribune News Service / Getty Images)
According to Guzman, Ocean Rescue lieutenants were able to rescue the girl and bring her to shore. However, her father was initially unaccounted for until lieutenants were able to locate him underwater. He was brought back to the beach, where paramedics began lifesaving measures.
The girl, her father and the good Samaritan were transported by paramedics to Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale. As of Monday morning, Guzman did not have any updates on their conditions.
The National Weather Service office in Miami, which serves the Fort Lauderdale area, warned of an elevated rip current risk on Sunday due to persistent southeasterly to easterly winds along the Atlantic coast of Florida. Rip currents are expected to remain a dangerous threat throughout much of this week.
WHAT IS A RIP CURRENT AND HOW TO SURVIVE ONE
Rip currents are strong, narrow currents that move away from the shore and out to sea at high speeds. They can occur at any beach with breaking waves – not just in the ocean. Rip currents can also occur along the shorelines of the Great Lakes.
Accorrding to NOAA, rip currents are responsible for an estimated 100 deaths in the U.S. each year.
