Rip Current Distressed Swimmers Saved by Westcliff College Surf Coach Lucas Taub
Westcliff College surf coach Lucas Taub didn’t hesitate, and his actions saved two lives.
Taub dove into the Pacific to rescue a father and daughter caught in the rip current near Oceanside, California.
Video footage and multiple reports show two swimmers visibly struggling in strong ocean currents. Who we know now as Chris Greene father eventually reaches his 6-year-old daughter, Coco, both struggling and exhausted.
That is when Taub reached them.
“I looked down, and I saw a little girl struggling, kind of bobbing up and down in the water, and right away, I knew something was wrong,” Taub told ABC. “And then I saw her dad trailing.”
He grabbed hold of the two distressed swimmers and got them both to shore, where others assisted.
“I looked up, and Lucas was right there, and he jumped in, like, a second later — and once he got to us, you know, I knew we were good,” Chris Greene told ABC. “I’ve been around the water my whole life, and I know that there’s seconds to spare [in situations like this] … I get a little emotional because I honestly didn’t think I was gonna make it. I was too far away, and [Coco] was already in over her head.”
As thousands of Americans head out for spring break in March, it is important to understand the dangers of rip currents when planning a day at the beach.
Rip Current Safety
Rip currents are strong, narrow currents that move away from shore and out to sea at high speeds.
Unfortunately, many people are injured or killed each year by dangerous waves and currents, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). A rip current is a natural treadmill that travels at an average speed of 1 to 2 feet per second, but has been measured as fast as 8 feet per second.
If you become stuck in a rip current, do not panic. Don’t swim directly against the current; try swimming sideways along the shoreline until you gradually escape the current’s pull.