By James Kirley

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Five people were rescued Saturday in two separate incidents, after being swept out to sea by powerful rip currents at Round Island Park beach.

One of the five was a woman, taken to Indian River Medical Center as a precaution after inhaling water.

“She was in a critical situation,” said 23-year-veteran ocean lifeguard Aaron Levy. “In my opinion, she would have drowned.”

Levy’s partner, lifeguard John Dotsey, pulled her to safety.

A man and woman who had tried to help her also were pulled from the ocean by Levy after being caught in the rip current.

Later Saturday, a 13-year-old girl and her father, a recent Army veteran were rescued by lifeguards, Levy said.

He compared rip currents to a river that pulls people out to sea. Levy said the currents remain strong even though last week’s big waves are subsiding.

He recommended always swimming near a lifeguard.

If caught in a rip current, remain calm and swim parallel to shore to escape it, he added.

Posted September 25, 2010 at 5:53 p.m.

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