PERDIDO KEY, Fla. (WKRG) — Three children and one adult were rescued from a rip current in the Gulf of Mexico Thursday afternoon and taken to local hospitals.

Two children and one adult were in critical condition when they were taken by helicopter to the hospital and one child was taken by ambulance in serious condition, according to Battalion Chief Boothe with Escambia County Fire Rescue.

The call came in at 1:49 p.m. for seven people in need of rescue. Three of those were people who went in to help but they safely made it back to shore, according to ECFR.

First responders arrived in six minutes to the area which is unguarded, according to county officials.

Yellow flags were flying in Escambia County, Fla., at the time.