Group water rescue on day of record breaking heat

It’s been two days of record breaking heat on the central coast and that means more people are flocking to the beaches and daring to swim in the unpredictable ocean, unaware of the dangerous rip currents and strong waves.

Santa Cruz dispatch said one man was taken to the hospital Wednesday after being swept off some rocks in between Bonny Doon Beach and Panther Beach, north of Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz Fire Battalion Chief Jason Hajduk said the man was with a group of three other people on a rock ledge, stuck in the water. When they tried getting back to shore, one man fell in and was swept out. State parks and CALFIRE also responded. A rescue swimmer saved the victim in the water, getting him safely to a harbor patrol boat. Jet skis rescued the other three stranded beach goers one by one. A rope pulley system brought in the rest of their belongings.

The man rescued from the water was taken to Dominican Hospital and is expected to be okay after mild hypothermia and ingesting too much water.