Florida lifeguards form human chain to rescue boogie boarder, drone video shows

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Florida lifeguards form human chain to rescue boogie boarder

Lifeguards in Flagler Beach, Florida, formed a human chain to rescue a boogie boarder who appeared to have drifted far from shore. (Credit: Joe Osborne)

A team of lifeguards in Florida were captured on drone video over the weekend forming a human chain to rescue a boogie boarder from a rip current that was pulling him out into the ocean.

Joe Osborne was on break from his job at a tattoo parlor in Flagler Beach when he decided to fly his drone over the ocean and captured the lifeguards in action.

“I was actually kind of impressed,” Osborne told FOX35 Orlando. “It was definitely a rehearsed thing … with their buoys and their lines, and they use them in unison. Very impressive. I thought it was very neat.”

The video shows a man on a boogie board who appeared to have drifted far from shore. One lifeguard begins towing the man toward shore as three other lifeguards swim out to meet them.

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A lifeguard swam out to meet a boogie boarder who appeared to have drifted too far from shore in Flagler Beach, Florida, over the weekend. (Joe Osborne via FOX35 Orlando WOFL)

The three other lifeguards are seen forming a human chain with the first lifeguard and boogie boarder, helping to tow the man to safety.

Other lifeguards swim out to meet the first lifeguard and help with the rescue. (Joe Osborne via FOX35 Orlando WOFL)

Malaina Bryant, a lieutenant with Flagler Beach Ocean Rescue, told the station that the lifeguards had to adapt their rescue strategy since the distressed boogie boarder was far from shore.

The lifeguards formed a human chain and began towing the boogie boarder to safety. (Joe Osborne via FOX35 Orlando WOFL)

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“That rescue is pretty far out, so they needed backup, so the backup comes out, and then they chain up by grabbing each other’s buoys,” Bryant said. “We all work really hard, so it shows on the video. They did awesome.”

The lifeguards safely rescued the boogie boarder and returned to shore. (Joe Osborne via FOX35 Orlando WOFL)

Osborne told the station that his video of the water rescue shows not only the heroics of lifeguards, but also that swimmers need to be careful of rip currents.

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“Unless you really could see it, you don’t believe it, but it’s strong enough,” Osborne said of a rip current. “It’ll pull you out.”