VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Two people were rescued from the water at the Oceanfront Monday morning, a Virginia Beach Police Department spokesman confirmed.
Around 11 a.m., lifeguards with the Virginia Beach Lifesaving Service responded to reports of a drowning in the 1600 block of the Boardwalk, near the Dairy Queen. It's a street away from where two other swimmers went missing Saturday night.
Good Samaritans told 13News Now they noticed a young girl playing in the waves with another child. Then, they heard a scream as strong ocean currents pulled the girl away.
"We were just screaming, we are coming to get you, we are coming to get you!" said Lydia James.
Lydia James and Kain Swenson said they noticed the rip current seconds before the girl went into the water. Both said they tried to grab the girl from the shoreline, but the currents quickly pulled the girl several feet into the water. The other young child managed to get out of the water.
They then called 911 and urged rescuers to hurry.
"They came so fast, I have to give credit to them for that," said Swenson. "Still she was out there for maybe 10-15 minutes just treading water, trying to keep her head up, and she did an amazing job."
Tom Gill, Chief of Virginia Beach Lifesaving Services, commended the two good Samaritans. He said their 911 call likely saved the girl's life as rescuers patrolled nearby looking for the other two missing swimmers.
Gill said it's important for all bystanders to remember never to go into the water to try and physically pull someone from the water. He said more often than not, would-be rescuers become victims themselves.
"Please, please, please - do exactly what they did, call 911, keep eyes on the victims, and wait for the help to arrive," said Gill.
The two children were recovered and taken to a local hospital. They are both in stable condition, the VBPD spokesman said.
This rescue comes just one week after Virginia Beach lifeguards ended their watch for the summer season. Gill said crews are still patrolling the beach by ATV patrol but is urging all swimmers to know they are still swimming at their own risk.
"Keeping eyes on people in two and a half miles of beach with four ATVs is not enough for somebody to go out there and get saved quickly without somebody keeping eyes on them," said Gill.
Crews with the Virginia Beach Fire Department and Virginia Beach Emergency Medical Services assisted with the response.
Police say this is not related to the two missing swimmers who crews have been searching for at the Oceanfront since Saturday evening.