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This evening, the Duluth Fire Department responded to the report of two swimmers in distress in the 800 block of South Lake Avenue. Duluth Fire sent a water rescue response of three fire companies to access the swimmers. Upon arrival, Duluth Fire learned that the swimmers were rescued by a passerby, Mr. Branislav Molnar of Toronto, Canada. Mr. Molnar was walking the beach with a companion and said that he heard the cry for help. He reported that one of the swimmers had mostly made it to shore. He quickly went for the second swimmer. Both of the rescued swimmers were safely retrived and are now at home. They were examined by Mayo Clinic Ambulance Service paramedics, but was no need for medical care.

The swimmers were two juvenile females that stated that they were swept out into the lake while swimming in waist to chest deep water. One of the swimmers said that she was wading in the waves and was instantly swept off of her feet. She began to be taken out into the lake. Her friend came into the water to save her and was also caught in the rip current. That was at the time that Mr. Molnar entered the water. 

This morning the National Weather Service issued a Beach Hazard Statement that advised that rip currents would be present today. The Duluth Fire Department changed the beach warning flags to red this morning. The tri-color flagging system is deployed during the summer months to advise swimmers of near-shore swimming hazards, including rip currents and long shore currents common on Park Point beaches. Beach patrons of all ages should pay notice and take appropriate action depending on the color of the beach flag. Green flags indicate the lowest swim risk, yellow flags indicate a moderate swim risk. Swimmers viewing yellow flags should be strong swimmers, know about rip currents, its dangers and what to do should they find themselves in a rip current. Red flags indicate that the near-shore conditions are not safe for swimming, and that all persons are advised to stay out of the water. 

The Duluth Fire Department wishes to remind the public that Lake Superior along Park Point produces rip currents reaching more than 100 yards offshore. Later in the day after heavy onshore winds is when the lake can produce some of these types of currents. The beach flag system has been employed in Duluth since 2010 to educate and warn swimmers of these dangers. Fore more information, please go to www.parkpointbeach.org