Rip Current in Guam, February 9, 2002

Three divers (Mark Facklan, Todd Bunnenborg and Sherry Kingston) started scuba diving about 0930, then surfaced about an hour later and had trouble returning to shore. They had wandered past the reef near Oka Point in Tamuning. The female stayed out while the two men tried to make it back to shore. Fraklan was able to swim back to the beach in front of the Hilton Guam Resort and Spa, where he called for help. The other two divers were rescued around 1430. They were lucky to make it back in good condition because the currents out there are usually very strong said Guam Fire Department's Northern District Capt. Alexander Castro. Bunnenborg and Kinston are Air Force personnel. Julian Flores, 41, and Peter Salas, 46, were returning to Hagatna Boat Basin after a day of fishing when they spotted Kingston about 40 feet away from them waving her hands. "She was in black so she was hard to see, but we saw here hands waving at us so we headed to pick her up" Salas said." She was a little cut up and tired because she said she had been out there for about five hours". The two men had to lift Kingston out of the water because she no longer had the strength the do so. She was a good half mile past the reef. Facklan and Bunnenborg sustained some cuts and abrasions because they tried to swim back across the reef.