CARTERET COUNTY, N.C. -- Swimmers are urged to tread carefully at Emerald Isle's beaches this spring, after a recent tragedy.
- Rip currents are a serious threat to the safety of all who enter the water
- There are no lifeguards or warning flags on the beaches until Memorial Day
- Emerald Isle Fire Department performed 137 water rescues in 2018. They are working with county commissioners to bring awareness to the dangers of rip currents
On Friday, April 19, two teens were reported missing after going swimming. Officials managed to rescue Mary Merical, 17, of Raleigh out of the water. She was taken to the hospital where her condition remains critical. However, 18-year-old Ian Lewis of Wake Forest was found dead on April 21.
The tragedy is a reminder that rip currents are a serious threat to the safety of all who enter the water.
There are no lifeguards or warning flags on the beaches until Memorial Day. Thus, parents are teaching their children how to stay safe at the beach.
"Just to go ahead and not go past your belly button or waist, we’re trying to use that as safety. Always stay together. Do not leave, like, 'I want you within a couple feet of us,'" Linda Turner of Emerald Isle tells her family.
Emerald Isle Fire Department performed 137 water rescues in 2018. They are working with county commissioners to bring awareness to the dangers of rip currents.
)