Tybee Island lifeguards rescue 19-year-old pulled away from shore by dangerous rip current
(Tybee Island Ocean Rescue)
TYBEE ISLAND, Ga. - A day at the beach on Tybee Island turned into a dangerous situation when lifeguards saved a 19-year-old man who had been pulled hundreds of yards away from shore by a possibly deadly rip current.
Tybee Island Ocean Rescue says lifeguards had just rescued a stuck paddleboarder on Saturday afternoon when they were flagged down near 19th Street.
According to the team, the 19-year-old had been caught in a rip current near the 18th Street jetty and pulled 100 yards out to sea. Despite trying to get back, the man had drifted south with the current and got stuck in another rip current that pulled him over 300 yards out.
Two lifeguards swam out to help the exhausted man and a third paddled out with a rescue board to help get him back to safety.
Officials say the man had briefly gone unconscious in the waves and was unable to stand when back on land. He was taken to a local hospital with Tybee Fire and Chatham EMS.
The man "would have possibly not survived without the coordinated efforts of our team," Tybee Island Ocean Rescue wrote on Facebook.
At the time of the emergency, officials said the water was at a double red flags risk, which signifies dangerous water conditions.
"This rescue is a sobering reminder of why we fly double red flags and why it’s so important to heed lifeguard warnings," Tybee Island Ocean Rescue wrote. "Your safety is our priority — always check in with your lifeguards and respect the ocean’s power."
The man's identity and current condition have not been released.