Three Gold Coast teen surfers bravely saved a young boy from drowning at J-Bay
THREE Gold Coast teen surfers risked their lives in shark-infested J-Bay waters, rescuing a local who was dragged out to sea and disappeared under water.
Surfing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Surfing. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THREE Gold Coast teens, two of them just 15 years old, are being hailed as heroes of J-Bay, after plunging into shark-infested water at the spot where Mick Fanning was attacked, to rescue a drowning local boy.
Nate Searle 15, Luca Stevenson 15, and Mitchell Ellis, 19, are the talk of the World Surfing League tour, which kicked off in South Africa yesterday, after risking their lives at Jeffreys Bay to save the boy who hailed from the gold mining city of Welkom in the Free State province.
Gold Coast pro surfer Joel Parkinson, who is in J-Bay for the WSL event, said the boys’ actions had been very brave.
“They should be really proud of what they did out in the water,” he said.
“They are a credit to themselves and their families.
“A lot of people are loving the Aussies as a result of their actions.”
Note, the son of Gold Coast Titans founder Michael Searle, and his two mates were surfing on Monday afternoon while on holidays.
They said panicked onlookers on shore were screaming and the surfers assumed it was a shark alarm and paddled in.
But the three Currumbin boys, realising the alarm was over a near-drowning, paddled out where they saw the victim disappear under the water.
Mitchell dived off his board to grab the submerged 15-year-old pulling him to the surface where the trio secured him to a board and paddled to shore.
The youth was unresponsive and was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition. It is understood he will make a full recovery. Parkinson said dealing with a terrifying situation out at sea was hard enough for professional lifeguards, “let alone three teenagers”.
“The conditions were tricky but they saved a young boy’s life and that needs to be acknowledged for its significance,” he said.
Mr Searle said he was “incredibly proud” of the three boys for their quick and brave actions. “I wasn’t on the beach but they came back and told us,” he said.
“I was rattled then a fair bit.
“But all of the crew including Joel put it into perspective of how proud they should be.”
Nate was out in the surf one year ago when Fanning was attacked by a great white shark during the WSL competition.
Luca is the son of Jason Stevenson, who founded surfboard company JS Industries.
The South African media labelled them the “Aussie heroes of J-Bay”.
The teens are heading to Welkom before they jet home to the Gold Coast in two weeks to try to find the young boy and wish him well.
The local sea rescue unit confirmed the rescue.
FLASHBACK: ‘Waiting for teeth’ – Fanning vs shark 10 years on
World champion surfer Mick Fanning was waiting for a wave when he felt something grab his leg rope and he “saw the fin”. RELIVE HIS MOMENT OF TERROR IN OUR FLASHBACK
Coolangatta Gold: Iron champs divided as iconic race cut in half
The Coolangatta Gold, surf lifesaving’s most iconic endurance race, will undergo its most dramatic transformation yet in 2025, leaving past winners divided: Is this race still the Cooly Gold?