A New Year’s Day dip turned into a hospital visit for a group of five tourists who are lucky to be alive.
The swimmers were plucked from the ocean at Birubi Beach in Port Stephens by local surfers after they were caught in a rip while swimming one kilometre outside the flags.
NSW Surf Life Saving duty officer Glen Dunkley told Daily Mail Australia a couple of people got stuck in the water and one of them had never swam at a beach.
A New Year’s Day dip turned into a hospital visit for a group of five tourists who are lucky to be alive (pictured)
The swimmers were plucked from the ocean at Birubi Beach in Port Stephens by local surfers after they were caught in a rip while swimming one kilometre outside the flags on Monday
NSW Surf Life Saving duty officer Glen Dunkley (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia a couple of people got stuck in the water and one of them had never swam at a beach
‘My understanding is that the people didn’t have a great ability when it came to swimming and got caught in the undercurrent,’ he said.
‘Certainly one of the girls had never been in the surf before.’
Mr Dunkley said while the group were swimming outside the flags, the incident happened five minutes after the Birubi Point surf life savers had finished patrols.
However a group of local surfers spotted the tourists in trouble and pulled them to shore before the surf life savers joined the rescue.
‘They owe their lives to them … they’re extremely lucky,’ Mr Dunkley said.
A man, 27, and a teenage girl, 14, were unconscious and had to be airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in Newcastle but are now in a stable condition.
The other three people were taken by road to John Hunter Hospital in distress but uninjured.
A group of local surfers saw the people in trouble and pulled them to shore, saving their lives
Two of the people, including a 14-year-old girl, were flown to hospital in a serious condition
‘This time of year, we have a massive influx of tourists who don’t know what beach safety is and these type of incidents aren’t uncommon, both with tourists and locals,’ Mr Dunkley said.
‘People get excited, the water’s beautiful up here, crystal clear, it looks so inviting and the deep gutters catch them out.
‘Unless you’re a strong swimmer who’s been in the surf before, stick to the flags other wise go to the pool.’
Despite the extremely lucky escape for the five swimmers, Mr Dunkley said it was the quietest New Year’s Day they had ever had with that being the only rescue.