Off-duty trooper rescues woman from rip current off NC coast

CAPE HATTERAS, NC (WTVD) -- A vacationing state trooper rescued a woman in distress using a boogie board on the North Carolina Outer Banks recently.

New Jersey State Police Trooper Craig Kempinski jumped into the water on Saturday near Hatteras after his wife noticed a woman getting dragged into the ocean by a rip current.

Kempinski said he noticed the woman was about 200 yards off-shore and knew he had to get to her as quickly as possible.

The off-duty trooper used his water-rescue training and a boogie board to reach the victim.

Kempinski said the woman was exhausted and could barely stay above water.

He gave her the boogie board, and with help from a paddle-boarder, Kempinski got her safely back to the beach.