(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)
WILMINGTON, N.C. – The Coast Guard rescued a mother and her 10-year-old daughter Saturday after they were both pulled out to sea by rip tides near Baldhead Beach and Oak Island.
A crew from Coast Guard Station Oak Island received a call from the North Carolina Marine Patrol about two people reported missing near Cape Fear River Buoy 11 around 5:30 p.m.
Crews arrived on scene about 15 minutes and immediately located the missing mother and daughter, who were with a member of the Baldhead Island Ocean Rescue team.
The rescue member placed the daughter, who was wearing a life jacket, on a personal water craft and placed the mother on a rescue sled behind the personal water craft.
As the boat crew followed the ocean rescue team back to shore, swells cased the personal water craft to capsize, sending all three people into the water.
The Coast Guard crew immediately rescued the mother and daughter from the water and brought them aboard their boat. After helping the ocean rescue crew member back to the personal water craft, they made it to the Bald Head Island Marina just before 6 p.m.
“We encourage beach-goers to use extreme caution when swimming in the ocean due to the dangers of rip tides,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Holden Green, one of the crewman who responded. “We have seen many cases already this summer where swimmers have been swept out to sea.”
