Two swimmers were pulled from the water near the Venice Pier on Saturday due to unusually strong rip currents. Lifeguards from the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to the incident.
A witness, Adam Rose, described the currents as some of the "worst rips" he had ever seen. He captured the rescues on video.
Pono Barnes, one of the lifeguards involved, noted that the rescued swimmer remained calm, a crucial element in such situations. "That was an awesome display of that beach patron or that beachgoer staying calm," Barnes told CBS News.
Lifeguards reported a busy weekend, with ocean rescues numbering in the thousands from Friday through Sunday. Barnes attributed the high number of rescues to the combination of significant ocean swells and hazardous conditions, which intensify rip currents.
Authorities are advising beachgoers to avoid entering the water if they see someone struggling, as attempting a rescue without proper training can endanger additional individuals. For those caught in a rip current, lifeguards recommend staying calm, floating if possible, and swimming parallel to the shoreline until free of the current before attempting to return to the beach. Direct swimming against a rip current is not advised.