North Carolina beaches see 20 rip current rescues on Memorial Day, 8 fatalities this year, officials say

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At least 20 people were rescued from rip currents at two North Carolina beaches on Memorial Day, continuing a dangerous trend that's already seen the waters claim eight lives this year.

The National Weather Service issued warnings for “high rip current risk” along the eastern coast Monday during a day in which 10 rescues each were reported at Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach, WTVD reported.

The initial advisory affected areas between Duck and North Topsail, but officials on Tuesday expanded the high-risk warning from the Northern Outer Banks area beaches to the Core Banks Beach area.

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An additional moderate risk warning was issued throughout the Coastal Onslow Beach area.

The National Weather Service has reported at least eight fatalities this year -- including one man who drowned over the weekend despite a rescue effort that saved three children.

In that incident, officials with the Town of Pine Knolls said emergency response units raced to Memorial Park Beach on Sunday at around 3 p.m. after receiving reports of multiple victims in the water.

Authorities said rescue teams, with the help of several members of the public, were able to rescue three children. Several minutes later, however, rescuers recovered an adult male who later died of his “injuries.”

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The man was not identified, but officials said several red flags had been posted throughout the beach echoing the NWS warnings.

The NWS advises anyone caught in a rip current to not fight but rather float or tread water until able to swim out of the current and back to shore.