SA man drowns ‘trying to save girlfriend’s bag’ off Rye pier on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula

Attempts to revive the 24-year-old failed after he was pulled from rough waters off a pier on the Mornington Peninsula.

A South Australian man has died off Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula after diving into rough waters on Saturday afternoon.

It is understood the 24-year-old entered the water off the pier at Rye about 2.45pm while hanging out with friends, including his girlfriend.

He was unable to be located for 30 minutes until the Victoria Police Air Wing found him in the water at around 3.15pm.

A witness said the man had gone into the water to retrieve his girlfriend’s bag which had fallen in.

“He jumped in to save the bag … it was very rough conditions,” Vlad Ilic, from Carrum Downs told The Advertiser.

Rye Pier, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Picture: Parks Victoria

Mr Ilic said the man’s friends were attempting to save him by throwing fishing rods for him to grab but nothing worked.

“I believe if there was a life ring at the pier, that kind would have been saved,” the 42-year-old said.

When police divers retrieved the man and brought him back to shore, emergency crews performed CPR but he died at the scene.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

According to the National Drowning Report 2024 there have been 323 drowning deaths over the past year — a 16 per cent increase in drownings on the 10-year average.

The 24-year-old’s death came before the disappearance of Mehdi Habibi off Granite Island near Victor Harbor on Father’s Day.

Search and rescue crews are continuing to look for the missing 16-year-old.

His younger brother Sahil Habibi was on the southern side of the island with his brother, who asked him to take a photograph of him.

“He slipped, he dipped under the water,” he said.

He was seen struggling in the water before vanishing, and has not been seen since.