Surfers 'hanging on to each other' rescued from Seaside rip current

Three surfers in Seaside were brought to safety Monday afternoon after getting caught in a rip current, according to the City of Seaside.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Three surfers were brought to safety Monday afternoon after getting caught in a rip current in Seaside.

As a preventative measure, an on-duty lifeguard entered the water to warn the surfers -- all in their early 20s -- they were in a rip current when crews from the lifeguard tower noticed two of the surfers were "hanging on to each other" and called Seaside Fire & Rescue to the scene, officials said.

Around 12:40 p.m., SF&R lifeguards, crews on jet skis, and a United States Coast Guard helicopter were on the scene and found the three surfers were being pulled out by the rip current.

Crews rescued the surfers, officials said, noting the surfers were not injured and did not need any medical attention.

This incident marks the first water rescue of the season on the Seaside beach; however, SF&R crews have been dispatched to help with several rescues on Cannon Beach so far in 2024, including Ecola State Park, City of Seaside Public Information Officer Joshua Heineman told KOIN 6 News.

SF&R reminds beachgoers that rip currents can form unexpectedly and recommend asking lifeguards about current conditions before getting in the water.

"[The] first thing is trying to recognize [rip currents] before even going in the ocean, they are usually characterized by a gap of darker, deeper, or calmer water between areas of breaking waves and whitewater, or a channel of churning, choppy water. If you do find yourself in one remember to stay calm, wave your hands for help and then swim parallel to the shore towards the breaking waves which will help push you back to shore," said SF&R's Division Chief and Fire Marshal Genesee Dennis.

During the summer of 2023, there were eight water rescues and 388 preventative contacts -- including warnings about rip currents -- SF&R said.