← All scenarios
🌊 Caught in a rip current at the beach
⚡ Do this right now
- Don't panic and don't swim straight against the current toward shore — you'll tire out fast.
- Raise one arm and call out to signal for help from the beach.
📋 Step by step
- Swim parallel to the shore (sideways, not straight in) until you feel the pull of the current ease.
- Once free of the current, angle back toward the beach.
- If you can't escape it, float on your back to conserve energy and let the current carry you — most rip currents weaken and release you further out.
- Wave and shout for a lifeguard or nearby swimmers as soon as you can safely do so.
🚫 Do not
- Don't fight the current head-on — this is the single biggest cause of drowning in rip currents.
- Don't try to rescue someone else by swimming out to them without a flotation aid; call for a lifeguard instead.
- Don't swim at beaches or times with no lifeguard or a red flag/danger signal posted.
🎒 What you'll need
- Check local flag/signal warnings before swimming (ask your hotel which color means danger)
📍 Need to share your location?
Generate a map link of exactly where you are, ready to send by SMS or WhatsApp.
✅ After it's over
Report the incident to the nearest lifeguard post or beach management so the area can be flagged for other swimmers.
This page is general safety guidance, not a substitute for professional emergency services or medical advice. Always call official emergency numbers first.