Surfers help lifeguards rescue two swept off Oceanside Jetty by waves

OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) -- Two people got swept off a jetty into the Pacific Ocean in Oceanside by large waves, and surfers helped them until lifeguards arrived.

Two people were on the North Jetty in Oceanside just after 10 a.m. Tuesday when large waves washed them into the ocean, the Oceanside Fire Department reports.

The fire department said surfers helped the people who were struggling in strong currents and heavy surf until lifeguards and first responders could arrive, and that ocean conditions made the rescue more difficult.

When lifeguards arrived in the water, one person was near drowning before they were rescued and transported to a nearby trauma center, the fire department said. The second person rescued from the water was minorly injured and treated and released at the scene.

The Oceanside Marine Safety Boat, with two lifeguards and a paramedic firefighter aboard, and the Oceanside Police Department assisted at the scene.

The fire department reminded the public being on jetties can be hazardous as the rocks are sharp and slippery and ocean conditions can be unpredictable with sudden waves, strong currents and shifting tides, making rescues more risky.