Camilla Jessen
Woman survives after being swept into dangerous waters.
A morning swim turned into a life-threatening emergency when a woman was swept away by powerful currents off the California coast.
Maxime Rancourt was left stranded on a rock roughly 70 feet above the ocean after being pulled out by strong waves in the San Francisco Bay area. What began as a routine outing quickly escalated into a desperate struggle.
Speaking to ABC News, she said: “I was looking at the waves and said they are so beautiful. I’m a good swimmer but I don’t usually swim there,”
Rancourt explained that conditions changed rapidly once she entered the water.
“All of a sudden, I was pulled away and then I wasn’t very far yet. I thought I could still go in the water, but the water was so intense. I was stuck in the middle,” she said.
Unable to fight the current, she managed to grab onto a rock as waves continued crashing around her.
Clinging to life
“The current was extreme. I jumped and grabbed the rock to stay there, and the water was still coming at me,” she said.
She attempted to move along the rock face but quickly realised the danger. “Everything went so fast… it was the idea to save myself in the moment.”
Rancourt remained stranded for around 30 minutes before being spotted and reported to emergency services.
A firefighter eventually reached her and brought her to safety despite strong winds and cold water, reported to be around 56 degrees.
“I was told I was grateful to be alive, you know,” she said. “I could have died.”
Sources: ABC News.
