RIP currents at swimming and non-swimming beaches remain one of the ocean’s most underestimated dangers, pulling even confident swimmers into fast-moving channels of water that surge away from shore.

Also read: The benefits of swimming lessons for your child

Lifesavers warn that these narrow currents can travel faster than an Olympic swimmer, leaving bathers exhausted if they try to fight them. Instead, swimmers should stay calm, float, and swim parallel to the shore until free of the pull. With holiday crowds growing, officials urge beachgoers to swim only in designated areas and obey lifeguard instructions. Respecting the ocean, they say, is the simplest way to keep a fun day from turning tragic.

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.