Gold Coast drownings: Senior lifesaver warns public of bystander rescues risk
A lifesaver who performed a mass rescue on the Gold Coast on Australia Day has warned beachgoers to keep the capes at home after a spate of drownings caused by bystanders attempting rescues.
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A LIFESAVER who performed a mass Gold Coast rescue on Australia Day has warned beachgoers to keep the capes at home and use rescue personnel to save endangered swimmers.
Nationwide there has been seven drownings this financial year from bystanders attempting to rescue someone else, two more than the annual average since 2004 according to Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) research.
The statistics are being seen as alarming with five months still remaining this financial year.
Tallebudgera surf lifesaver and club captain Scott Burgess – who saved seven swimmers who were 200m outside of the red and yellow flags at Tallebudgera Beach on Australia Day – said bystander drowning deaths were terrible to see.
“They’re often family and friends going to the aid of a loved one and are instead getting in trouble themselves,” he said.
“It is so important the public understand just how quickly things can go wrong in the ocean, so first and foremost you should swim at a patrolled beach or location between the red and yellow flags, during patrol hours.
“In an overwhelming majority of cases where bystander rescue drownings occur, the person who has gone to aid someone has drowned because they had nothing to hold onto and help to keep both people afloat.”
Out of the seven bystander drownings across Australia, two occurred in Queensland. Out of the state’s 13 coastal drownings since the start of December, five of them occurred in Gold Coast waters.
Nutri-Grain Ironman TJ Hendy, who’s also the Surfers Paradise SLSC patrol captain, said the increase in bystander drowning deaths and a recent spate of drowning incidents this summer were devastating.
“If you have to go into the water to rescue someone, it’s essential to make sure that you have something that floats to keep yourself and the person you are rescuing above the water,” he said.
“This could be anything from a surfboard, boogie board, an Esky or esky lid, even a flotation toy.
“Something that is going to help you to stay afloat could mean the difference between life and death for you and your loved ones.”
‘Disrespectful’: Lifesaver’s message following spate of Coast drownings
A SENIOR Gold Coast surf lifesaver says it’s “disrespectful” to enter dangerous surf outside patrol hours, saying rescuers are frustrated after a horror spate of drownings.
In the wake of three tragic water deaths and a further three near-drownings since Thursday, Gold Coast Surf Lifesaving co-ordinator Nathan Fife is pleading with tourists and locals to stay out of the water during unpatrolled hours and not to attempt to swim at closed beaches.
Broadbeach gym manager Jake Jacobs, 32, and his female companion Julia Boika, 29, died after a late-night swim on Thursday.
Ms Boika’s body was discovered on Thursday night while Mr Jacobs’ body was found on Friday night.
Within 12 hours of his body being retrieved, another swimmer drowned in giant swells off Mermaid Beach.
The 34-year-old Victorian tourist had been swimming at the closed beach and was spotted struggling in the surf just after 7:30am.
Lifesavers rescued the man but he died on the shore.
“We have had three drownings, all outside patrol times. It’s very frustrating for lifeguards because if you are swimming before patrol hours or after hours, no one can see you. There is no one on the beach, no one in the surf to spot you and unfortunately, there is a very high risk that you might not make it back in,” Mr Fife said.
“It’s pretty disrespectful that people go swimming when we’re not there. It’s hard when we can’t help someone.
“Our lifesavers, they do a good job but the job they do, it’s not for everyone. It’s frustrating for our members to deal with pulling these people to shore because they weren’t swimming between the flags in patrolled areas.”
Mr Fife said swimmers were not only putting themselves at risk but putting the rescuers forced to enter the surf in dangerous conditions in harm’s way.
Many Gold Coast beaches are expected to remain closed on Monday as huge surf continues to pound the coastlines.
“These warnings are for the safety of everyone — the people swimming and those going out to rescue you. We do have many great days on the Gold Coast so you’re not going to miss out. When beaches are closed stay out of the water. We don’t want our lifesavers risking their lives to save someone who has disobeyed the warnings,” he said.
Mr Jacobs and Ms Boika had gone swimming in the late hours of Thursday night.
Mr Fife said it was “absolutely crazy” to go enter the water in the dark.
“If you’re with a group and someone says ‘lets go for a swim (at night)’, be the person to stand out and say ‘It’s not a good idea to do this’. Pull them up straight away and look after each other,” he said.
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Two women, aged in their 20s, were on Saturday hospitalised following a near-drowning at the Main Beach off about 2.20pm on Saturday.
They were taken to Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.
On Sunday, paramedics were called to a Ormeau home following a near-drowning in a backyard pool on Sunday morning.
Paramedics were called to the private residence about 8.30am after reports of a “post-immersion incident” involving an adult male aged in his 40s.
He was transferred to the Gold Coast University Hospital in a critical condition.
brianna.morris-grant@news.com.au
Originally published as Gold Coast drownings: Senior lifesaver warns public of bystander rescues risk
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