MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A father and son duo were recently rescued from a rip current while swimming off Bean Point on Anna Maria Island, the Manatee County Sheriff's Office explains in a news release.
The two, who were on vacation from Europe, were swimming when a strong currently reportedly pulled them approximately 100 yards from shore.
Marine deputies with the sheriff's office saw the swimmers in distress while on patrol in the area. They were able to quickly pull them onto the boat before returning them safely to the beach.
The father and son, who both spoke little English, seemed to be unaware of rip currents which are common to some areas along Anna Maria Island, the agency explains.
"Fortunately, deputies were in the right place at the right time and saw the struggling swimmers before it was too late," the sheriff's office said in the release.
Deputies say anyone caught in a rip current should remain calm and try to swim parallel to the shore to move out of the current and then alert someone if help is needed.
"Fighting the current makes the condition worse," the agency said in a statement. "f you understand how rip currents form and the proper escape technique, your chance of survival, if caught in one, is greatly increased."
Watch the video of the rescue down below.