Across L.A. County, 2,036 swimmers were rescued—a big spike from last year’s Labor Day weekend, when 1,207 people needed help. The numbers could have been higher this weekend, but lifeguards warned or stopped 101,635 people from braving the rough waters. Strong rip currents were considered to be what led to the drowning of one swimmer last Thursday near Avenue 19 in Venice. Lifeguards were able to rescue two friends of the Venice swimmer who were out around 200 feet from shore when currents pulled them out further. They weren’t able to save one of them, a man whose body was pulled from the water an hour later.At Orange County beaches, lifeguards rescued 3,600 swimmers from beaches around the area, reports the OC Register. More than 1,700 of the rescues over the long weekend took place around Laguna Beach, while hundreds of others took place around Newport Beach and Huntington Beach. While many of them were considered “scary rescues,” there were no reported deaths related to the currents in the region. “A lot of people plan to go out and wade in the water, and the current affects them and they panic. A lot of people misjudge and overestimate their ability,” Huntington Beach Marine Safety Lt. Mike Beuerlein told the Register. “A lifeguard has been there every time.”
Source: Lifeguards Rescued 5,000 Swimmers From Dangerous Rip Currents This Weekend: LAist
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