Three boys who got caught in a rip current off Ocean Park were rescued by two lifeguards late Tuesday afternoon.

Old Orchard Beach lifeguard captain Keith Willett said the boys, 8 to 12 years old, were escorted to safety and did not need medical assistance.

Willett said the lifeguards noticed the boys around 4 p.m. swimming about 40 yards off Ocean Park, a village in Old Orchard Beach.

“The lifeguards noticed the boys were over their heads and could not swim back to shore,” he said.

Using rescue torpedoes, the lifeguards swam out to the boys and pulled them back to shore. The boys were returned to their parents.

Willett said his crews raised yellow flags along the beach, indicating that rip currents could be dangerously strong and that swimmers should be cautious. A yellow flag is a notch below a red flag warning, which means that a beach is closed to swimming.

Willett said riptide currents are expected to subside Wednesday.

“Parents should always pay attention to their kids, and talk to your lifeguard before you go swimming when there are current warnings,” he said.

Willett said lifeguards can tell, by the way that waves break on shore, where the dangerous rip currents are and where it could be safe to swim.

Willett’s crews patrol 4 miles of beach between the Scarborough and Saco lines. Ocean Park is about one mile from Old Orchard Beach’s downtown, near the Saco line.

 

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