Two teenagers were rescued from a dangerous rip current near Whitecap Beach Tuesday night, and first responders are now urging swimmers to know the rules before getting in the water.
ESD2 and Corpus Christi Fire Department crews were dispatched around 9 p.m. after a 16-year-old boy and girl were reported missing. The teens had last been seen approximately 40 minutes before crews arrived. Law enforcement eventually located both teenagers alive and well.
ESD2 Firefighter/Paramedic Matthew Cortez said the teens had one critical advantage working in their favor.
"Fortunately for these individuals, they weren't alone, they had each other, so that's the biggest thing is, whether it's family or friends. Not swimming alone is the most important thing," Cortez said.
Cortez said it is better to know the rules than to be lucky, and offered additional safety tips for swimmers.
"One, always checking the weather ahead of time, before you plan so you don't just get caught from being coming from out of town and coming here and thinking that oh I gotta get in the water," Cortez said.
If a rip current does pull a swimmer out, Cortez said the worst thing to do is fight it.
"Don't fight the current, you're just gonna get tired sooner and also swim with it diagonally. It's gonna take you, go in the direction and then towards shore but simultaneously parallel along the shore," Cortez said.
The teenagers were rescued after dark — something beachgoers say concerns them most.
"I would never let the kids swim in the dark. I think that's obviously one of the riskiest things you can do, even as an adult," beachgoer Landon Stanford said.
Stanford said his family visits the beach often and has seen how quickly conditions can change.
"Mother nature is an incredible beast. Rip currents are no joke. I think it's one of the most under talked about things that you could come visit. If you don't know about it, it's something you should be aware of and that you should take every precaution, especially with the little ones," Stanford said.
Other beachgoers said the warning signs are already there for those who know to look for them.
"A lot, a lot more, especially not being around. I think that's what people go wrong is getting used to around here and being down here," beachgoer Kevin Lewis said.
First responders say swimmers should avoid getting in the water at night, always swim with a buddy, and know what to do if a current pulls them into the Gulf.
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