Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club in Surfers Paradise saves three swimmers in mass ‘rescue on Friday

Members of a Gold Coast surf life saving club have leapt into action to save swimmers in strife.

Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club members have saved three people in a chaotic mass rescue in the ocean at Surfers Paradise.

A “young lady” approached the club about 5.40pm on Friday, “screaming that her boyfriend was caught in a rip, the club said in a statement.

“Mark Williams, our surf sports manager and club coaches Paul Wotherspoon and Naomi Flood ran down with boards and a rescue tube. Vice president of surf sports Brian Booth, followed with a defibrillator.”

Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club's Kevin Morrison, Naomi Flood, Paul Wotherspoon, Bryan Booth and Mark Williams.

“Once the team arrived at the scene 300 metres south of the surf club and saw multiple patients were in trouble, Naomi phoned for an ambulance.

“One male had made it back to shore by himself but was weak and had swallowed water.

“The second patient was being rescued by a surfer and had also swallowed a lot of water.

“The third patient who was in the worse shape was rescued by Paul on a board.”

The surf club said the third person was a passer-by who tried to rescue the first two men in trouble in the surf “only to find himself in more trouble while his wife looked on in despair”.

Soon after, head coach Kevin Morrison joined the rescue effort.

Three people were saved at Surfers Paradise. Picture: iStock

“All three patients were administered oxygen therapy once returned to the beach. Two bicycle ambulances arrived and assessed all three patients before they were driven up to Frederick St … where two ambulances were waiting to transport them to hospital,” the club said.

“This is a timely reminder to never swim outside of patrolled hours and only swim between the red and yellow flags.

“Also, it is never safe to swim after consuming alcohol.”

The club said that if coaches had not stayed back to pack trailers for a New South Wales event, “this situation could have resulted in a drowning”.

“We are extremely proud of the way they operated as a team in a stressful situation that ended with no lives lost,” the club said.

Originally published as Northcliffe Surf Life Saving Club in Surfers Paradise saves three swimmers in mass ‘rescue on Friday