JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — Three children were rescued by a stranger after Mother Nature swept them away from the shore.

The children got trapped in the water following a strong rip current at a beach located off Huguenot Memorial Park in Jacksonville, Saturday.

Thankfully, former U.S. Navy SEAL Steven Insco was there to pull off a remarkable save.

“Rip currents can be very unpredictable,” he said.

Insco was at the beach fishing when he heard people screaming. He ran over to see the three children struggling to swim to shore.

“He was hovering around his sister, who was the one that was laying face down,” said Insco.

Seeing that they needed help, he dove into the water.

“I calmly yelled at him and said, ‘I need you to swim towards me.’ As soon as he got to me, he grasped his arms around my neck. I was able to turn his sister over and put her in a cross-chest carry, and we side-stroked back to the shore,” said Insco.

Insco was joined by beach patrol on shore, who joined in the rescue operation to save the third child.

All three children are expected to be OK.

Volusia County Beach Safety Chief Tammy Malphurs said this type of rescue is very common. Over 80% of their water rescues are from rip currents.

“A lot of people come to the beach, and they really underestimate the power of the rip current,” said Malphurs.

In another case, a high school student who was days away from graduating drowned after a failed rescue in Indian River County.