Woman rescued from rip current in Atlantic City

Atlantic City beach FILE photo (Alan Tu/WHYY)

Atlantic City beach FILE photo (Alan Tu/WHYY)

Authorities say an Atlantic City firefighter and a police officer rescued a woman who nearly drowned in the ocean after getting caught in a rip current.

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Officials were notified around 7:30 p.m. Saturday that three people had been swept out by the current and were in distress. But acting Battalion Chief Kurt Marrone told The Press of Atlantic City that two people were already safe on a jetty when he arrived a short time later.

Marrone saw the woman in the water going under, so he jumped in and grabbed her. But as he took her in, they were struck by a wave that smashed them against the jetty.

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City police officer Patrick Finegan then jumped in and pulled out Marone. Finegan got the woman to safety moments later.

The woman refused medical treatment. Her name was not released.

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