The Seattle Times

A Coast Guard air crew and a motor lifeboat crew from Station Grays Harbor rescued a man caught in strong currents while surfing near Willapa Bay on Saturday.

The air crew, aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, took the surfer to shore where emergency medical personnel were waiting, the Coast Guard said. The 40-year-old man had been surfing with two others.

Coast Guard Sector Columbia River Command Center said it received a call about 2 p.m. from Pacific County 911 asking for rescue assistance.

Three surfers had been in the water when one was swept away by strong currents and vanished for about 30 minutes. The two other surfers made it back to shore. An acquaintance of the surfers made the emergency call.

The Coast Guard sector sent the air crew and a Station Grays Harbor boat crew aboard a 47-foot motor lifeboat.

The helicopter crew found the man in the water with help from people on shore, who kept the surfer in view until the rescue crew arrived, according to the Coast Guard. He was pulled out of the water at 3:15 p.m.