Friends Augustin Lagomarsino (left), Emmanuel Pereira (middle) and Ignacio Maldonado (right) saved a father and son who were caught in a rip. Photo / Supplied
Friends Augustin Lagomarsino (left), Emmanuel Pereira (middle) and Ignacio Maldonado (right) saved a father and son who were caught in a rip. Photo / Supplied
It has been another busy and interesting year in our region. We revisit some of our most popular premium stories from 2022. Originally published on January 1.
Being in the "right time and place" is what led three rescuers to save a father and son caught in a strong ripon Mount Maunganui beach.
The three friends were swimming at the Mount Main Beach on Sunday night when they saw the drama unfold.
Agustin Lagomarsino and his friends Emmanuel Pereira and Ignacio Maldonado were enjoying an afternoon at the beach near the volleyball net before they decided to go for a swim to cool down about 8pm.
"We heard screams coming from the sea, two people about 50 metres from the shore were being swept away by the current out to sea, a boy and his father.
"Without doubt we began to swim right to them, there were no lifeguards or anyone around to help out.
"The current was strong enough to make it more difficult, between the three of us dragged them back to the shore, the child could not stand up by himself due to fatigue.
"We are happy and pleased to be able to help and assist these people, it was a stroke of luck we were there in the right time and place."
Lagomarsino and his friends saw Tintin panicking and jumped into action.
She said within two minutes, the three men had successfully pulled the father and son out of the water safely.
Surf Life Saving NZ national search and rescue manager Allan Mundy said he was thankful for rescuers like Lagomarsino and his friends.
"Keeping our coastline safe is a community effort and surf lifesaving just makes up a part of that."
However, Mundy said before a member of the public jumped into the water to rescue someone, they should call the police, who could contact patrols and search and rescue teams.
Mundy said lifeguards never began a rescue without backup.
"You just don't know what's going to happen to that patient or to you when you get out there".
Surf Lifesaving NZ Allan Mundy recommends calling police before making a rescue. Photo / Supplied
Mundy also recommended that any potential rescuers be aware of their own abilities and assess whether they could handle the conditions.
Mundy said he had seen a significant number of "lay" rescuers drown.
"These guys did amazing work and we hope they keep it up ... if you see someone in trouble, do your part, call the police, get us under way and that way we can make this coastline so much safer than it is now."
Mundy said that if the family or rescuers called 111, two search and rescue squads would have responded to the situation.
Mundy recommended that swimmers who weren't confident in the surf or deeper waters go to Pilot Bay at Mount Maunganui or inner-harbour beaches at Ōmokoroa.
"We need to all pull together so we can support the lifeguards to continue to do the work that they're doing ... the way to stretch that service out as much as possible is for everyone to do their part," Mundy said.
He wanted to remind swimmers if they were caught in a rip, to relax, lie on their back and let the rip take them to where the surf is breaking.
"Over 75 per cent of rips will actually carry you back to shore, so they circulate."
