Pride of NZ: Men braved mid-winter water to rescue crash boy, granddad

Philip Walker.

If the four men who dived into a freezing Nelson creek to rescue a 2-year-old boy and his grandfather from a sinking car hadn't acted so quickly and heroically, the child would have died, fireman Craig Davies says.

In July last year, Nelson men Kyle Paki Paki, Philip Walker, Gary Miller and British tourist Adam Black rescued Ali Fa'avae-Mika and his grandfather Filemoni (Phil) Fa'avae, 69, from their car, after it veered off the road and plunged into Saltwater Creek, near Port Nelson.

Watch: Pride of NZ Awards - Kyle, Gary and Philip

The men won the Bravery and Heroism award for the South Island region, making them finalists for the national awards on Wednesday night.

Before emergency services arrived, the men jumped into the murky tidal creek and pulled two occupants from the vehicle.

A third occupant, Janice (Jan) Fa'avae, 68, died at the scene.

Senior Station Officer Davies, who nominated the men for a Pride of New Zealand award and was in charge of the crew who attended the accident, said the four risked their own safety to save others' lives.

"We were really lucky to have those people in Nelson at that time."

The men saw the car go across the road in front of them and into the creek, Mr Davies said.

It was a cold, mid-winter day, but that didn't stop them from jumping into the water, he said.

When the young boy was pulled out of the water and passed to Mr Davies, he wasn't breathing.

"That's how fine a line it was between life and death.

"This boy had another couple of seconds to go, it was that close. These guys absolutely saved his life." Susan Strongman