Dangerous rip currents keep rescuers busy on South Florida beaches throughout Easter weekend
South Florida lifeguards are warning swimmers about dangerous currents over the Easter holiday weekend.
Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue said those currents are why they rescued 10 people over the last two days, and why a teen tragically drowned.
Ocean Rescue told CBS News Miami that all the rescues and the drowning happened in areas with lifeguards by the main strip of the beach between Lifeguard Towers 5 and 6, right near Las Olas Boulevard and State Road A1A.
Meanwhile, in Miami Beach, lifeguards responded to different near-drownings on Sunday evening just minutes apart from each other: One was at 16th Street and Ocean Drive, where two people were saved but didn't need medical attention; the other was at 8th and Ocean, where lifeguards rescued five people and two of them were taken to the hospital.
CBS News Miami went out to the beach on Sunday and found out how bad the conditions are, whether you look at the water, ask a lifeguard or look at the warning flags. Sunday's flags meant the conditions are "hazardous" and there could be dangerous marine wildlife.
Friday's drowning
On Friday evening, Ocean Rescue said they found a teenager dead in what they believed was an accidental drowning.
Officials said the teen was swimming with friends in rough waters when they ran into trouble. Lifeguards rescued the friends, but the teen wasn't immediately found.
Fort Lauderdale Police said its dive team recovered the teen's body just after 8 p.m., nearly three and a half hours after authorities were first called to the area near the 800 Seabreeze Blvd. The drowning is under investigation.
Rough currents are responsible for several rescues
In total, lifeguards have had to save 14 people from the beach's rough waves all weekend. Ocean Rescue said they saved four people in three rescues on Sunday. On Saturday, they rescued 10 people.
They're urging people to be cautious if they go in, saying the rough currents played a factor in all these rescues.
Terry Theodore lives in Fort Lauderdale but isn't comfortable with the choppy currents here.
"It was not a good idea. I'm just here to take the sunlight," he said.
Idan Oleyek came down to Fort Lauderdale from Boca Raton and told CBS News Miami he finds no fun swimming in these conditions.
"This is not a good way to go into the water for sure," he said.
The United States Life Saving Association said the color of the flags seen at the lifeguard stands can change throughout the day. So, it's good to always be looking at them.
"People need to be prepared for that," said Tom Gill, the vice president of the U.S. Life Saving Association. "Just because they may have been out in the water earlier in the day. And it was really nice and calm, and you go back and look at it. It's bigger than I thought -- the wind has picked up. There's all types of changes that can happen throughout the day."
Wind to continue bringing rough waters through Monday
Ocean Rescue is expecting the rough conditions to carry over to Monday.
The drowning in Fort Lauderdale is under investigation. CBS News Miami has asked Miami Beach Ocean Rescue if the currents had anything to do with the rescues they had today. Fort Lauderdale Ocean Rescue said currents become more dangerous when it gets darker.
