A 17-year-old was rescued by Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving after she was out to sea in a rip last night. 

The incident occurred at Bethells Beach early Friday evening – at a time when the beach was not being patrolled by lifeguards. 

Bethells Beach Surf Life Saving Patrol vice-president and SAR squad member Dan Harvey, who is also the local duty officer, was part of the response. 

“It was serendipitous that just one week earlier we had performed a low light search and rescue scenario on these conditions, so our squad was primed and had the confidence to perform what was really a textbook response,” he said. 

Four teenagers – one male and three females – had been swimming at the beach on an outgoing tide, according to Surf Life Saving New Zealand. 

Strong currents pulled them off a sandbank suddenly and the four swimmers were sucked out to sea. 

Three were able to get out of the water, but a 17-year-old girl got caught in the rip and was being swept out to sea. 

A bystander called 111 at approximately 8.20pm and the Bethells Beach Surf Search & Rescue squad responded urgently. 

The Police Eagle helicopter arrived at the scene, dropping a flotation device to the struggling swimmer. 

The swimmer was “in serious distress” but managed to grab hold of the flotation device, while the Police Eagle helicopter kept its spotlight on her, according to Surf Life Saving New Zealand. 

The Police Eagle has no rescue swimmer capability, unlike the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which was on standby but 30 minutes away. 

Whangamata Surf Life Saving volunteer. Photo / Supplied. 

Two members of the Bethells Beach Surf Search & Rescue squad arrived at the clubrooms and set up an Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB) – three other surf lifeguards arrived soon after and set up a second IRB. 

The surf lifeguards completed the 800m drive from the club to the low tide mark, completed a dynamic risk assessment, and launched the IRB, with the Police Eagle helicopter lighting their way. 

They completed the rescue, retrieving the young girl and returning her to the beach. 

Surf Life Saving New Zealand said she had swallowed water and was becoming hypothermic, but otherwise unharmed. 

“It was pretty seamless, you can’t get much better in terms of rescue. 

“But without the police flotation device being dropped it would be a completely different scenario – the girl would likely have drowned. Even with it, she was in serious trouble, given she was already hypothermic by the time we reached her,” said Harvey. 

The patient was checked by two off-duty paramedics and discharged to hospital. 

“This year the conditions at Bethells Beach are likely to result in a significant number of rescues. We have a large hole in the front of the beach, right in front of the lifeguard tower, which is creating a powerful rip on an outgoing tide. People need to be aware of the conditions,” Harvey said. 

Surf Life Saving northern operations manager James Lea said that no one should be entering the water at a surf beach in such a scenario. 

“We strongly recommend people exercise common sense. That means always swimming between the flags. If a beach is unpatrolled, or patrol has finished for the day, don’t risk your life by entering the water,” he said. 

“The person in this situation was incredibly lucky that the Bethells Beach Surf Search & Rescue squad and Police were able to respond so quickly. They did do the right thing by calling 111, however, the situation could easily have been tragic for everyone involved.”