Previous Story
9 distressed swimmers rescued
|
Posted on Feb 27 2019
The Department of Public Safety rescued a total of nine distressed swimmers in a span of just one day.
According to a DPS statement, nine swimmers from different locations were rescued on Monday, Feb. 25.
Seven distressed swimmers were rescued from the Lau Lau beach and two were rescued just outside the Saipan World Resort’s beach area.
The seven distressed swimmers were a group of tourists that were rescued at around 1:42pm at Lau Lau beach and the other two were a male and female who were paddle-boarding outside the Saipan World Resort beach area and were rescued at around 4:51pm.
DPS officers learned that the group of tourists was swimming at East Bay in the morning when the current got stronger. One swimmer attempted to climb up a makeshift ladder at East Bay but it broke. The strong current made it difficult for the swimmers to climb the rocks and it also made swimming toward the nearest shore impossible because the current kept pulling the swimmers back out. One swimmer managed to swim to shore and call 911.
At 1:42pm the DPS Impact boat arrived outside the reef of Lau Lau and approached the seven distressed swimmers, who were all holding on to a yellow flotation device.
The DPS rescue boat transported all the stranded swimmers back to the Smiling Cove Marina, where medics were on standby to conduct a medical safety check on all the swimmers.
The second rescue happened when DPS dispatch received a call about two stranded swimmers in one of the World War II tanks just outside of the Saipan World Resort beach. Rescue jetskis 1 and 2 arrived at around 4:28pm and proceeded toward the two stranded swimmers atop the furthest tank outside World Resort.
CNMI DPS Boating Safety Officers noticed that both stranded swimmers had paddleboards that were still attached to their ankles.
The female swimmer told police that she was unable to paddle back to shore. By 4:51pm, both swimmers were safely back on the beach.
DPS is urging the community to wear life jackets when venturing out into the water, stay informed about weather and current conditions, and limit alcohol intake and excessive sun exposure to avoid heat strokes.
