Lifeguards in Newport Beach had a busy Fourth of July, making over 350 rescues on Friday alone.
In the most serious rescue, Newport Beach Lifeguards said they rescued 10 swimmers from a “monster rip current.”
Video shot from a Huntington Beach police helicopter shows a rescue boat motoring out to save the stranded swimmers.
Authorities were also warning of dangerous rip currents and elevated surf at Los Angeles County beaches through Sunday night, including Catalina, with an increased risk of ocean drowning.
Rip currents can pull swimmers and surfers out to sea, and waves can wash people off beaches and rocks, and capsize small boats near shore.
If you are caught in a rip current, lifeguards say, remain calm and don’t fight the current. Swim to the side to get out of the current. If you can’t escape, tread water or float. If you need help, call or wave for assistance.
It’s also wise to swim where a lifeguard is present and not to swim alone.