Kings Beach drowning: Man, 39, dies in latest Sunshine Coast beach tragedy

A couple who witnessed the tragic death of a man at Kings Beach say a pair of mystery surfers put themselves at risk to help rescue a group in trouble in powerful surf.

Witnesses to the tragic death of a man at Kings Beach have praised the actions of surfers who risked their own lives to pull the man from the water.

Brisbane residents Jillian and Ian Gentle, who are holidaying on the Sunshine Coast, made the triple-0 call to emergency services after a 39-year-old Ipswich man started to struggle in the water yesterday evening.

A Queensland Police spokeswoman said the man was swimming in a group of three at Kings Beach and was pulled from the water, along with the rest of the group, in the large swell about 6.15pm.

The beach was unpatrolled at that time.

Mrs Gentle said she saw the three swimmers get swept out to sea with one man swept further towards the headland than the other two swimmers.

Jillian and Ian Gentle praised the actions of a pair of mystery surfers who risked their own lives to go to the aid of a man in the water at Kings Beach. Picture: Letea Cavander

“It became obvious he was in distress and he put up his hand eventually,” she said.

Her husband Ian Gentle said one surfer got to the man first and then the second joined the rescue.

Some swimmers were unaware of the tragedy that had taken place hours earlier when a man drowned while Kings Beach was unpatrolled.

He said the surfers brought the man in at the rocks below the headland.

Mrs Gentle said it was clear the man was in distress by the time the surfers reached him.

“It was very brave of those men to go to his aid and bring him in,” she said.

“They risked their own lives.”

A sign at Kings Beach where a tragic death of a swimmer occurred on February 13. Picture: Letea Cavander

Mr Gentle said a number of other beachgoers joined the group on the rocks and started CPR.

She said it was “sobering” to see how quickly things could go wrong in the water.

Two mystery surfers risked their own lives to pull a man from the water onto rocks at Kings Beach on February 13. Picture: Letea Cavander

The police spokeswoman said police and bystanders started CPR on the man and paramedics continued the effort to save him.

Although they worked on him for some time, he died at the scene.

A man in his 30s and a woman in her 20s were taken to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in stable conditions.

Sunshine Coast lifesaving services co-ordinator Shane Urban said off-duty lifesavers also assisted emergency services.

He said the group was swimming “well after” lifeguards had finished patrolling the beach.

“The tragic incident along with a previous fatality at nearby Happy Valley highlights the need to swim where and when our lifeguards can see you so we can help you if in need,” Mr Urban said.

Catamaran runs aground as swell lashes coast

“This is even more critical when we have treacherous beach and surf conditions causing large movements of water.”

The police spokeswoman said officers were preparing a report for the Coroner.

Some beachgoers were shocked to learn of the tragedy as they swam on Kings Beach on Tuesday morning.

Grantham resident Randall Reck, who is holidaying in Caloundra with his family, said there “was still a bit of a pull” but he felt safe in the water.

Grantham resident Randall Reck says he feels safe in the water by following the lifeguard's directions and swimming between the flags. Picture: Letea Cavander

“You just follow the lifeguard’s advice and swim between the flags,” he said.

The visitor said it was a tragedy that someone had died and he had witnessed a near-miss only days earlier when someone else was swept away but was quickly rescued

The latest death comes after several tragedies on Sunshine Coast beaches this summer.

A 21-year-old Brisbane man, Jye Mattern was tragically swept out in a rip while swimming off Teewah Beach and never found.

The mother of Lucinda McGrath, 27, spoke of her heartache following her daughter’s death at Bulcock Beach in Caloundra on January 22 and a French backpacker died after she was pulled from unpatrolled surf near Stumers Creek, at Coolum Beach, on January 5.

Originally published as Kings Beach drowning: Man, 39, dies in latest Sunshine Coast beach tragedy