Lifeguards along the North Carolina coast rescued hundreds of people from rip currents over the Independence Day holiday weekend.
According to the National Weather Service office in Wilmington, there were more than 190 rip current rescues in New Hanover County alone from Wednesday through Saturday.
There is a high risk of dangerous rip currents from Cape Hatteras to Beaufort Inlet Tuesday and a moderate risk for beaches in west Carteret and coastal Onslow Counties.
Many of the rescues last weekend occurred in moderate rip current risk conditions.
Beach visitors should make sure they are swimming near a lifeguard because they’re trained to spot rip currents and help in emergencies.
For swimmers that find themselves caught in a rip current, NWS said they should not fight it, but instead float and swim parallel to the shore until they are out of the current, then swim back in.
