28-year-old man dies after getting caught in rip current at Venice Beach

VENICE, LOS ANGELES -- The man pulled from the water off Venice Beach after getting trapped in a rip current has died.

Three men were out in the surf when they got stuck in a rip current Thursday near Tower 19.

Lifeguards were able to get two men safely to shore. By the time they reached the third man, he was unconscious.

The man, 28, was rushed to Marina Del Rey Hospital. He was initially listed in grave condition but was pronounced dead early Friday morning.

Lifeguards say they don't want to see such tragedies over the holiday weekend, when big crowds are expected to hit the coast. They want to emphasize the importance of swimming near a lifeguard station.

"We want to warn everybody that this coming weekend Labor Day weekend, we're due for some bigger surf which means more rip currents, lateral currents," said Chris Linkletter of the Los Angeles County Fire Lifeguard Division.

Linkletter advised beachgoers to check in with lifeguards to learn the best places to swim before hitting the water.

The National Weather Service says rip currents can move up to eight feet per second. If you get caught in one, don't fight it, swim parallel to the shore and head back to land at an angle.