crowdpub

Five students from Ohio were swept away by a riptide at Playa Bejuco by a riptide. One student died and two were missing having been swept to sea. Two students were rescued.

http://latinamericacurrentevents.com...ta-costa-rica/

qwovadis

Very sad CP always wise to be careful with "Rip" Currents

Naturally, the way to handle it is to get out of the riptide. Riptides may move a lot faster than any of us can swim, but they aren't very wide.

www.hulaman.com/triathlon/open_wtr.html

qwovadis

They do tend to loop so when I have been in one

try to relax swim sideways till I get out of it then

swim back in.

Panic kills especially the inexperienced...

My prayers are with the families.

emmagus

This is exactly why we decided with our young kids NOT to go to the beaches on our trip last month. I just remember that the water was much more unpredictable than I was used to. Those poor families. Very tragic.

hsmithcr

It is a terrible tragedy for friends and families of these young people, as well as their chaperons. And so preventable.

Sadly, too many people do not check for local conditions at beaches and just venture out. Whether you are in Costa Rica or at any beach, be sure to check what is going on before you or anyone in your family ventures into the water.

Emmagus - while I understand why you didn't want to go to a beach in Costa Rica, it's frankly a kind of silly reason. There are many many beaches in Costa Rica, some of which have never had a history of rip tides and are generally very calm and not dangerous. The point it - someone needs to do some research on whatever beach is being considered. I know you are good at doing research, so I wouldn't hesitate to go to the beach with you and know it was safe!

For anyone who reads this, please remember to always ask about beach conditions before you go in the water -- no matter where you go to the beach!