Lifeguards are warning of strong rip tides which put several visitors in danger at Horseshoe Bay beach yesterday.

A 20-year-old Jamaican woman was dragged out to sea while her friend also got into difficulty when she went to help. The pair were eventually pulled to safety by two other women and were unharmed.

Lifeguard Superintendent Jamie Pedro said the incident happened before his staff began work at 10 p.m. at the popular Southampton beach.

But he said lifeguards patrolling later had to help several other swimmers who fell foul to strong currents.

He said: "Lifeguards did a number of rescues. As they were out there advising people about the rip tides they had to pull a couple of people in."

He said rip tides were a common feature at the beach and often went un-noticed but had been strengthened by the approaching Hurricane Fabian.

A strong rip tide can pull a swimmer out 200 metres in a matter of seconds warned Mr. Pedro who said people had sometimes been dragged out as far as Fraggle rock, the diving rock at Horseshoe Bay.

Rip tides are a mushroom shape explained Mr. Pedro and often clearly identifiable by the sandy residue the kick up compared to Bermuda's normally clear blue water.

Those in trouble are advised to swim parallel to the shore until they come across clear blue water before making their way in again.

The phenomenon is worse when the tide is going out said Mr. Pedro. He said signs had been put up explaining the problem.

"The best bet is not to go swimming if you are not a strong swimmer and you are unfamiliar with the water environment. It's going to be rough out there until the storm passes."

He said swimming would be safer on the north shore at places like Shelly Bay which is more protected from the looming hurricane and he said lifeguards had stopped working at beaches other than Horseshoe as the season wound down.