Rye beach drowning: Man spotted face down in water

LIFESAVERS are pleading with Victorians to play safely in the water after a man drowned at a popular Mornington Peninsula beach.

A man has drowned at Rye Beach. Generic picture: Jason Edwards

LIFESAVERS are pleading with Victorians to play safely in the water after a man drowned on Wednesday.

He was the fourth person to die after being pulled from the water in Victoria since Christmas Day.

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Lifesaving operations manager Greg Scott said there fears others might take unnecessary risks to cool off as the week warms up: the weather bureau has forecast a sizzling 41C in Melbourne on Saturday.

Temperatures in Victoria’s north could reach 44C.

Strong northerly winds might worsen waves and rips at some beaches.

In the latest tragedy, at Rye’s front beach about 2pm, rescuers pulled from the water a man they found floating face down. He could not be revived.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Mr Scott said people should swim between the flags and study how to spot rips.

“Each year more people drown in rips than from shark attacks, cyclones and floods combined,” he said.

“Despite this, three-quarters of people can’t identify a rip current, and two-thirds of people who think they can spot a rip, can’t.”

Mr Scott urged people not to swim alone, to always supervise children, and to swim only between the red and yellow flags at major beaches.

“Victoria has the best water­ways in the country, so by all means get outdoors and experience them,” he said.

“But we want everyone to come home safely from a day at the beach, river or by the pool. So take extra caution, given the forecast conditions.”

Mitcham man Paul Baker, 46, who got caught in a rip in front of Woolamai beach’s surf lifesaving club on New Year’s Day and could not be revived, was on Wednesday remembered as a “kind, gentle and wise soul”.

Queensland man Hemant Govekar is thought to have drowned at the same beach. He disappeared during a Christmas Day dip.

The third of the four Victorian drowning victims was found in the water at Breamlea, on the Bellarine Peninsula, on December 27.

The victim was spotted face down in the water at Rye Beach at 2pm.

He was pulled from the water but attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful and he died at the scene.

Police said the man has not been formally identified.

They will prepare a report for the Coroner.

There have been two drownings since Christmas Day at Woolamai Beach on Phillip Island.