Sunshine Coast beach closures: Mudjimba Beach body boarder rescued

A young man suffered a suspected spinal injury and another a head laceration as dangerous and powerful surf lashed Sunshine Coast beaches.

Surfers and body boarders have been pulled from the water and some hospitalised as dangerous and powerful surf lashed the Sunshine Coast.

Paramedics were called to multiple near drowning incidents including at Mudjimba Beach, Mooloolaba and Kings Beach.

Surf Life Saving Queensland Sunshine Coast duty officer David McLean said a surfer pulled a teen body boarder from the water at Mudjimba after he was held under in the shore break.

The 16-year-old Sunshine Coast body boarder was taken to hospital after swallowing significant amounts of water in a near drowning incident at Mudjimba Beach around 9am Sunday.

Three ambulances arrived with paramedics treating the boy at the scene before taking him to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

Surf Life Saving Queensland Sunshine Coast duty officer David McLean urged swimmers to adhere to beach closures.

“He’s a very lucky boy,” Mr McLean said.

“The shore break is challenging and the size of the waves were upwards of two metres – it was significant and powerful surf.

“He got dumped in the surf and was submerged and a surfer managed to pull him out of the water.”

Mr McLean said lifeguards rescued a 28-year-old man surfing at Kings Beach who had a suspected spinal injury.

Paramedics took the man to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.

Mr McLean said lifeguards also assisted a man surfing at Mooloolaba for a back injury however he did not go to hospital.

He said a surfer at Noosa Heads suffered a head laceration from the fin of a surfboard.

❌ BEACH CLOSURES ❌

All beaches from #RainbowBeach (near Gympie) south to #RainbowBay (QLD/NSW border) are closed today due to a current marine alert from the @BOM_Qld.

Conditions are unusual and unstable. SLSQ services are asking the general public to not enter the water. pic.twitter.com/YGVnFzbd8S

— Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) (@lifesavingqld) January 15, 2022

Beaches from Rainbow Beach at Gympie to Rainbow Bay were closed on Sunday morning due to the tsunami alert and dangerous conditions.

Mr McLean warned swimmers to adhere to the closures, in particular around low tide, forecast at 1.56pm.

He said on Saturday 44 rescues were performed across Sunshine Coast beaches during low tide.

“There are some surfers that are going to go out but we’d hope they’re only the experienced,” Mr McLean said.

“Beaches are closed for a reason and it’s not just the tsunami warning but also due to these conditions with large rips and powerful surf.”

Lifeguards on jet skis and in the Surf Life Saving Queensland helicopter were also involved in a search for a rider who came off his jet ski at the Caloundra bar on Sunday morning.

The man was found and brought to shore by the Caloundra Coastguard.

A man in his 40s was also rescued on Saturday after he was swept out in a rip more than 50m from Kings Beach.