'Lifeless' teen rescued from water at Uretiti Beach

Rescuers at the scene, helping the 18-year-old man who was brought to shore by Ruakākā surf lifeguards. Photo / Larry Williams

A beachgoer wasted no time commandeering a surfboard to paddle to the aid of a teenager "lifeless" in a rip at a popular unflagged beach south of Whangārei.

He, alongside Ruakākā volunteer surf lifeguards patrolling on a jetski, is credited with preventing one family's Easter camping trip from taking a tragic turn.

The 18-year-old was making the most of the beautiful weather on Friday when he opted for a swim in the surf at Uretiti Beach.

Back on shore, a man noticed the teen's struggle against a current that was dragging him further out to sea.

The man quickly grabbed a surfboard off a nearby beachgoer and paddled through the timid swell and calm conditions.

Around 150m later he reached the teen and pulled his limp body onto the front of the surfboard.

Nearby was Ruakākā volunteer surf lifeguard Ben McKernan, 32, and his partner and fellow guard Ayla Wilson, 31.

The pair were riding a jetski along the stretch of coastline between Ruakākā and Waipū as part of a roaming patrol to check for anyone in need of help in the remote area, McKernan said.

"We happened to be driving along Uretiti when we saw a surfer waving us across."

McKernan was struck by how odd it was for a surfer to be this far out to sea.

It took the slightest moment for the experienced guard of 17 years to distinguish the man's gesture from the waves guards get all the time from people enjoying the water.

"He had his hand raised and was sitting perfectly upright on his surfboard," McKernan said. "We could see two people on the board but couldn't tell exactly what was going on."

However, as the duo neared the two men they quickly realised a serious situation was unfolding.

"We could tell there was urgency," McKernan said.

"As we approached we saw a young man slumped over the front of the board."

When they reached the pair Wilson dragged the teen from the surfboard onto the rescue sled attached to the back of the jetski.

"He was pretty limp, or lifeless, at that point," McKernan said. "He had no strength left."

The teen appeared "young and fit".

"The power of the rip had carried him out. He'd been struggling and was just completely worn out," McKernan said.

Once on the sled, Wilson protectively positioned herself behind the teen's back with her legs partly trailing in the water. She used her arms to secure him against the board as she gripped the handles on either side.

The jetski Ruakākā surf lifeguards used to carry out the rescue. Photo / Larry Williams

Within mere minutes, if not seconds, the trio successfully beached the jetski as high on the sand as possible.

Together they performed a patient carry where they hoisted the teen under the arms and lifted his legs to move him around 70m away from the water's edge.

There, they went into full first-aid mode. Through their primary assessment, they discovered he was conscious but taking very shallow breaths and "fading in and out".

The teen was responding to voice and pain but with short, weak grunts.

An ambulance had already been dispatched as the guards had radioed the emergency into SurfCom - surf lifesaving's main communications hub.

McKernan's brother, Adam - Ruakākā's club captain, alongside a volunteer firefighter also a lifeguard on duty that day - arrived on the scene armed with lifesaving equipment.

They quickly administered oxygen to the teen as he lay in the recovery position to keep his airways open.

The teen's family had rushed down from the Uretiti Beach Department of Conservation campsite where they were staying.

The teen was airlifted by helicopter to Whangārei Hospital. Photo / Larry Williams

Many stood back, giving the rescuers the space they needed to help the teen, McKernan said.

But mum and dad moved in close to their son.

"They were providing encouragement...they were holding his hand or resting their hand on him, comforting him during the process," McKernan said.

Fortunately, the teen responded well - and quickly - to the high flow of oxygen.

"He went from status one, critical, to status three [unlikely to be a threat to life]."

A helicopter arrived moments before paramedics, who were whisked down the beach by other Ruakākā guards.

The teen was airlifted to Whangārei Hospital where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit before being transferred to a different ward.

"I think there's something to be said for the surfer who took the courage to paddle out there. He provided something for the man to hold onto," McKernan said.

However, paramedics also hailed the guards as heroes. At the time, they said the actions of the lifeguards were life-changing measures that had ensured the teen's survival.

"As lifeguards, we do it for the community," McKernan said.

"We do a lot of training for these types of things. Sometimes training feels repetitive and these incidents don't happen every day but when they do and the training falls into place it's very rewarding."

With patrols finishing for the 2021/22 season and a number of popular Northland beaches without guards anyway, McKernan offered some important safety tips:

• Never swim alone - have someone there to keep an eye on you.
• If you find yourself in a rip, relax, ride it out, and raise your hand for help.
• If you see someone in trouble ring 111, ask for police - they have a direct line to activate the six Search and Rescue squads based at each of the Northland surf clubs.