Two people — a distressed kayaker and a good Samaritan who attempted to help — were rescued Tuesday night from the waters off the Mokulua Islands, the Honolulu Emergency Services Department said in an email.

At around 5:50 p.m. Honolulu Ocean Safety received a call about the 30-year-old woman visiting from France who was in “extreme distress” and was reportedly close to drowning. She had been attempting to kayak back to shore from the islands during “high winds” when her kayak tipped over. She was not wearing a life jacket at the time and had been hanging onto a makeshift flotation device. A 26-year-old man who had been surfing in the area attempted to help but also ran into trouble, officials said.

Lifeguards, via watercraft, were able to find the woman after a quick search despite having little information about the situation, officials said.

She was taken to shore and given medical treatment, including oxygen. The woman had swallowed water, had multiple lacerations and suffered from extreme exhaustion. She was transported to an emergency room in serious condition by the Honolulu Emergency Medical Services.

After bringing the visitor back to shore, lifeguards returned to the scene to rescue the man, who suffered multiple lacerations but declined transport to a hospital.

Ocean Safety is reminding the public to check weather conditions before entering the ocean. It’s also urging the public to always carry a cell phone and not hesitate to call 911 if someone is in trouble in the water.