Lifeguards help 8,000 in New Zealand

TAURANGA, New Zealand (AP) – Lifeguards had to assist more than 8,000 swimmers after dangerous tides swept a series of popular beaches in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty region, officials said Tuesday.

Joe Boyce, head of the regional lifeguard service, said that logs kept by the service showed that 8,430 swimmers had to be ordered out of dangerous water or assisted in other ways Monday on New Zealand’s north island. The number of swimmers assisted was four times greater than usual and was the highest in many years, he said.

Extra lifeguards had to be called in because of dangerous rip tides that can pull swimmers far out to sea, Boyce said.

There were no drownings, although lifeguards had to rescue 21 people in serious trouble. The beaches attract thousands of swimmers daily during the southern hemisphere’s summer.