Corpus Christi (KIII News) — Two men nearly drowned Tuesday evening because of a strong rip current near beach marker 203 just north of Zahn Road.
Thanks to some fellow beachgoers and an off-duty Aransas Pass firefighter two men are alive.
Police and EMS were called to the area of beach marker 203 around 8 p.m. in response to a man drowning.
According to a witness, they heard a man screaming for help about 100-yards from the shoreline.
A friend of the man drowning tried going out to save him but was pulled under the water and realized it was too dangerous and was forced to go back to shore.
Off-duty Aransas Pass firefighter Kyle Thompson said he also tried going in, but that is when two friends of the man threw him an extension cord.
"The other guys were not comfortable going all the way out there to get him and I knew if we didn't do anything pretty soon that he was going to go under and you could tell he was beaten at that point," Thompson said.
Thompson threw the chord to the man, and they were able to walk him back to shore.
Fire officials said they believe the men got caught in a rip current and instead of swimming parallel to the beach they went towards it which can be a deadly decision. Officials want to warn the public that may be spending the rest of the summer out on the beach to be aware of rip currents.
If you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shoreline, and of course, keep an eye on people you're with at the beach.
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