‘Idiot’ attempts surfing at Airlie Beach as Cyclone Debbie hits

AS authorities appealed for people to stay indoors away from the fury of Cyclone Debbie, this bloke wanted to go surfing.

AS authorities appealed for people to stay indoors away from the fury of Cyclone Debbie, this man wanted to go surfing in the eye of it.

The man, who wandered into the background of a live cross as Channel Nine reported from Airlie Beach, stood buffeted by wind with a boogie board under his arm contemplating the wild waves.

“Oh my God, there’s someone with a boogie board going out in the ocean it would seem, so that’s obviously not a good idea at all,” said reporter Jessica Millward.

Wearing a singlet and boardshorts, the man waded into the wild waves as the cameras rolled, as a mate on the beach watched on.

The man is watched by a mate as he carries his boogie board into the surf. Picture: Channel 9

Knee deep, he turns to look back at his mate, then launches onto the board, swamped by a messy wave.

“There’s a lot of backpackers in town Karl, and I can tell you there’s obviously been a lot of cyclone parties throughout the evening and this morning because there’s a fair few inebriated people here so the authorities are out and about just warning people we are in the eye of the storm, we are certainly not through the thick of it yet,” Millward said.

“Ah hello. hi. ah yeah, that’s very dangerous so we might just alert some authorities as to what’s going on down. Yeah, that’s not good, that’s not smart,” she continued as he attempted to catch a wave..

“That’s not good, that’s not smart,” says Jess Millward as the man tests the waves in the background. Picture: Channel 9

Predictably, social media lit up, and the consensus was “idiot” - which is how the journalist later described the man’s actions.

Watching the news. A man is attempting to boogie board at Airlie Beach. Umm there's a cyclone in that area. #Cyclonedebbie #sillyman

— Gen (@riddle_methis) March 28, 2017

Meanwhile, Channel 7 was reporting a kite surfer in Bowen had been captured surfing the winds of the cyclone on Monday off Bowen, with 7 News Mackay tweeting this footage:

A kite surfer in Bowen has been capture surfing the winds of Tropical Cyclone Debbie. #7News pic.twitter.com/o4jKe8XoG9

— 7 News Queensland (@7NewsQueensland) March 27, 2017

It came as TV networks were lashed on social media and criticised by authorities for seemingly putting reporters at risk with outdoor crosses in the rush for ratings as the cyclone bore down.

Many commented on the irony of TV reporters warning people to stay indoors as they delivered rain-soaked, wind-buffeted reports.

The man takes the plunge ahead of ducking under a wave. Picture: Channel 9