Two young lives ‘certainly” saved by Muriwai lifeguard service

The Muriwai lifeguard service saved the lives of two young girls on Sunday afternoon who were caught out by the incoming tide.

Glenn Gowthorpe, Search and Rescue Coordinator at the Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service said the two girls were around the point to the south of Maori Bay, trapped on a rock by the tide.

A third member of the group had managed to escape and call for help.

“The tide was halfway in, with just 45 minutes of daylight remaining, and they would have been pounded by the 2.5m swell within about an hour’s time, with no means of escape.

“Due to the location, time available and swell, we elected to climb around the rocks and wade through the surf instead of utilising a Rescue Water Craft (jetski). This proved to be a good choice as there was no way the ski would have been able to get anywhere near the two girls, and the swell was already pounding in,” said Glenn.

“Action was urgent given the proximity to sunset and an incoming tide. We had three surf lifeguards in the water and moving around the rocks, with the Police Eagle overhead and two surf lifeguards on comms with police. Our Search and Rescue squad did a fantastic job and got the job done and managed to retrieve the two girls safe and sound, just as the sun was setting.

“There was a huge turnout from other emergency services, including the Police Eagle helicopter, two Fire and Emergency New Zealand fire trucks and two fire four-wheel-drives, a high angle rescue team, two Hato Hone St John ambulances and two four-wheel-drives.”