Swimmers warned of rip currents at Salisbury Beach

SALISBURY, Mass. — Six people had to be rescued from rip currents in Salisbury within the past two days.

On Friday, three swimmers were saved from Salisbury Beach Reservation.

”It happened over there. They just kind of went in on the surf boards, and then the patrol guy on the boat came in fast,” said Sadie Bolth of Amesbury. “I guess it’s kind of scary because we swim here a lot.”

According to Salisbury Police, the first call came in around 2 p.m. for two teenage girls who had to be saved by five lifeguards. Both swimmers were unharmed and did not need medical treatment.

Beachgoer Jack Nachtygal said he saw the aftermath of the third rescue.

”We kind of saw all the people come and grab him. They took him off in an ambulance,” he explained.

On Thursday, police said three people were pulled away from shore by a rip current, but did make their way back to land on their own.

”A lot of times people don’t realize you’re in rip current,” said Patrick Murphy, chief lifeguard of the New Hampshire State Beach Patrol, working one town over at Hampton Beach. “The number one thing is to go to a beach with a lifeguard. If you go to a beach with a lifeguard, they can point out a rip current area or an area they might suspect them.”

Murphy explained that people need to stay calm if they do start to get pulled away from the beach.

”Don’t turn around and try to fight the current back to shore. Swim parallel to shore, you’ll end up on a sand bar, and if you’re tired, you’ve got to relax and then make sure you can be visible,” he said.

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