A Seattle man was rescued from a rip current by two bystanders in Ocean Shores on Saturday.

At 4 p.m. Saturday, Ocean Shores Police responded to a report of a swimmer in trouble near the W. Chance ala Mer beach approach. The caller reported that the man was beyond the breakers and yelling for help, and that two women went into the surf to help him.

When the first officer arrived, the two women were helping the 32-year-old man walk out of the surf, Ocean Shores Chief Neccie Logan wrote in a news release. He appeared exhausted, and could not walk on his own, as the women supported him under each arm.

These rescuers were identified as Anika Crosta, from Port Orchard, and Lynn Vail, from Bremerton, both 23. The two said they were swimming together when they felt a current pulling them from the shore, indicating a rip current. As they got out of the water, they heard the man yelling for help and saw he was unable to swim to shore a couple hundred feet past the breaking waves.

One of them told a bystander to call 911, before both swam out to the man to help him. The man was no longer able to swim, and was trying to float on his back to conserve energy. The women helped him closer to shore until he could touch the bottom, and helped him walk in.

The man was exhausted and shaking, and said the women definitely saved his life. Both Crosta and Vail stated they had no prior training or experience in water rescues, but felt they had to help.