WATCH: LA Sheriff’s Deputies Dive Into Ocean to Save Paragliders Near Malibu

Two sheriff’s deputies in Los Angeles County have been praised for rescuing two paragliders from the ocean near Malibu after they fell into the water during foggy conditions on Friday.

Bodycam footage released by the sheriff’s department shows the deputies responding to reports of two people in distress, shouting “Hang on!” as they ran into the surf.

In a statement shared with Fox News, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Deputies Christopher Matkin and Sevak Grigoryan acted immediately despite the risks.

“Without hesitation and fully aware of the danger, LA County Sheriff’s Department Deputies Matkin and Grigoryan removed their department-issued gear and jumped in the water,” the statement said.

The deputies swam approximately 75 feet to reach a man and a woman whose legs had become entangled in heavy safety equipment, which was pulling them under. The deputies used knives to cut the equipment free.

Deputy Matkin described the rescue as “tense”, saying the panicked paragliders repeatedly pulled the deputies underwater.

“We were able to calm them down,” he told a press conference.

Deputy Grigoryan said there was little time to deliberate once they arrived at the scene. “It was just, ‘We gotta act and we gotta to act now,'” he said.

Authorities said the paragliders were likely descending when they entered a dense fog bank over the ocean.

“That’s where it appears they became disoriented and crashed into the ocean,” a third deputy said.

Both paragliders are expected to make a full recovery.

The sheriff’s department praised the deputies’ actions, saying: “This rescue demonstrates the courage, quick thinking, and selfless dedication of LASD deputies, who routinely place themselves in harm’s way to protect and save lives.”

It added that Deputies Matkin and Grigoryan’s “decisive actions under dangerous conditions exemplify the Sheriff’s Department’s commitment to public safety and service to the community.”