Man dies on Mornington Peninsula after suffering suspected heart attack while surfing
A Flinders firey says everything possible was done to save a man who got into trouble at a remote surf spot.
South East
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Surfers who tried to save a man after he got into trouble in waters off the Mornington Peninsula have been praised for their heroic efforts.
Flinders CFA lieutenant Warren Joel said everything possible had been done to save the man, who died after suffering a suspected heart attack while surfing near Flinders.
“The friends with him got him out of the water and started CPR. They did an amazing job,” Mr Joel said.
“I arrived within five minutes of receiving the call for help.
“I have a defibrillator in the car with me and am experienced in advanced resuscitation. We worked on him until the ambulance arrived.”
Mr Warren was initially alerted to the emergency via the GoodSAM app.
The app alerts the three closest responders while an ambulance crew is dispatched.
“It’s a vital tool in remote areas and a lot of the beaches on the Mornington Peninsula fit that description.
“Every minute counts when someone has had a heart attack and this allows people to get the quickest help possible.”
The Leader understands the man was not a local but had travelled to the Mornington Peninsula with friends to surf the Gunnery break.
SURFER DIES ON MORNINGTON PENINSULA
A man has died on the Mornington Peninsula while surfing a reef break favoured by locals.
According to witnesses the man had just caught a wave off the Gunnery break about 3.30pm on Tuesday when he “rolled off his board peacefully” and into the water.
At least three other surfers were in the water nearby and paddled the man into shore.
A woman posted on social media that her husband and son were among the rescuers and they tried their hardest to save the man.
“They had to paddle him into the channel to get him into shore. It took a long time,” she said.
“They paddled him in with help from another surfer and worked on him for a long while until help arrived.”
A woman who watched the tragedy from the cliffs above the beach said the surfers reached the man very quickly.
“It was so difficult to get him back to the beach, and then to get emergency services to attend,” she posted.
“They tried so hard to revive him. There was not much they could do
Another man posted that first responders had arrived with a defibrillator and continued CPR until an air ambulance arrived.
“The gentleman had a history of heart problems, and could not be saved,” he posted.
Victoria Police said the man was yet to be formally identified.
“The exact circumstance surrounding the death are yet to be determined but the death is not being treated as suspicious,” a spokeswoman said.
Police will prepare a report for the coroner.