COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. — At least five swimmers nearly drowned at Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park in Naples Saturday morning. They were caught in a rip current.
Collier County EMS rescued them from the water and took them to a hospital nearby.
But the good weather still brought people out to Fort Myers Beach.
Staying cautious, most swimmers knew what to do if caught in a rip current.
“If you get caught in it? No you don’t want to go against it,” said Steve Husk.
“Don’t panic. You swim parallel to the shore in order to get back,” said Christie Rossi.
Collier County Sheriff’s Office posted tips on their Facebook page from the U.S. Coast Guard, too. They said stay calm, go with the flow with the current, not against it. And USCG said once you’re out of the current, swim parallel to the beach to get back to shore.
Some people at Fort Myers Beach decided to avoid the water altogether.
Maria Pflegl came to the beach with her husband and friends and said they noticed the danger right away. “I didn’t even think about going in the water because the water’s way too rough,” she said. “The waves were really. high. I thought these people are crazy to even be in the water."
The condition of those swimmers who were rescued at Delnor Wiggins Pass State Park is unknown as of Saturday night.
