CARMEL — A swimmer and lifeguard were rescued from Monastery Beach Sunday after being swept out to sea by the high surf.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:35 p.m. when a 911 operator received a call about a swimmer who was pulled into the ocean and the lifeguard who became caught in the high surf while attempting to rescue her. The two were approximately 30 feet from shore.

“Carmel Highlands Cal Fire arrived first, four minutes after the first 911 report, and entered the water within a minute after that,” said unit information officer Valerie Watts, noting that the lifeguard had possession of the victim at the time.

The Cypress Fire Protection District and Pebble Beach Community Services District also arrived on the scene.

“They were caught in the current and the surf was high,” said Watts, noting that the entire incident took seven minutes. Both were medically cleared by Carmel Regional Fire Ambulance at the scene.

“Nobody had to be transported to a hospital,” said Watts.

It was in June that a lifeguard pulled an 11-year-old boy from the water at Monastery Beach who was then given first aid and taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons. More than 30 people have died at Monastery Beach, including a 9-year-old boy who drowned there in 2017.

Emergency officials want to remind the public to use caution at Monastery Beach and at local beaches in general. Monterey Bay, Carmel Bay and Carmel River State Beach are sites of strong rip current, which is a narrow current that cuts through waves and moves directly away from the shore.

In the case of Monastery Beach, it has both a strong rip current and undertow, due to its deep water trench. It is recommended to not swim alone there or at other beaches.

“That rip current there – it’s a bad area,” said Watts.