Two Marines rescued after caught in rip current off NC coast

Cpl. Colton Harpole, from Louisville, Ky., and Cpl. Quentin Wigg, from Hastings, Mich., spent more than an hour in the rip current before making it to shore.

“I had made this swim before, but that day the rip current had just been worse,” Wigg said in a press release. “Once I got out, my first thought was my buddy, and I didn't see him.”

Cpl. Colton Harpole, from Louisville, Ky., was with Wigg when both were caught in the current. A Coast Guard helicopter helped search for him, and he was rescued after spending more than three hours in the water. 

“I was just trying to keep a calm mental state,” Harpole said in a statement. “That seemed like the best way to handle the situation. I knew that, if I started freaking out and panicking, then I wouldn't make it out of this.”

Both Marines returned to base unharmed, officials said.

The commanding officer of their regiment said that the Marines' ability to remain calm and their stamina made the rescue possible.

The Marines recently had a safety brief that they said helped them stay afloat, officials said.

"Quick thinking, perseverance and knowledge of rip current safety techniques ensured these Marines could return home," said Sgt. Kimberly Patterson in a statement.