One swimmer hospitalised after rip rescue by surfers at Currimundi

A teen has detailed her harrowing experience after she and her boyfriend were caught in a rip at a popular but unpatrolled Sunshine Coast beach.

Two teens have been rescued from a rip at Currimundi Beach, near Robe Street, on the Sunshine Coast on Monday morning.

Two teenagers were rescued from a rip at Currimundi Beach, near Robe Street, on the Sunshine Coast on Monday morning.

About 10.30am, the 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old girl were brought back to shore by surfers after becoming caught in the rip at the unpatrolled beach.

Speaking about the harrowing experience, the girl described how the situation unfolded.

“We were in the water waist deep, then next minute I look to my left, and my boyfriend’s drifted 30 metres away from me, screaming my name. I was also in a separate rip,” she said.

“A man came in to save me first, which resulted in me being pulled out and sat on shore. My boyfriend was saved by surfers shortly after, but he was passing in and out of consciousness.”

Paramedics arrived about five minutes after the teenagers were pulled to shore, with lifeguards providing further aid.

A Queensland Ambulance Service spokeswoman confirmed the boy was transported to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with “serious injuries” but was in a stable condition.

Sunshine Coast chief lifeguard officer Trent Robinson praised the quick actions of the surfers who stepped in to help.

“He was in quite a bad way. He was breathing but really fortunate that the board riders were there; otherwise, he would have been in all sorts,” Mr Robinson said.

Mr Robinson added that the hazardous conditions at Currimundi, driven by recent easterly winds, had made swimming particularly dangerous.

The girl warned others about the risks of swimming at the unpatrolled beach.

“Overall, the beach isn’t safe to swim in, and so many people do anyways,” she said.

Mr Robinson echoed her concerns, urging beachgoers to always swim between the red and yellow flags.

“Just make that extra walk down to your red and yellow flags. It’s not worth the risk right now to swim anywhere away from the flagged area, just make the walk,” he said.

The call comes as nearly 50 coastal deaths have been recorded at Queensland beaches this year.