Far North surf rescue: Off-duty lifeguards rush to unconscious surfer's aid

Two lifeguards are being praised for a heroic rescue in the Far North of a surfer who needed to be resuscitated twice after getting into trouble over the weekend.

Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service lifeguards Quinn Bedford and Tom Kehoe were off-duty and out for a surf on Saturday at Shipwreck Bay in Ahipara in the Far North when the incident occurred.

It is believed the surfer was knocked out on the rocks and then nearly drowned around 5.30pm as it was just beginning to get dark.

Bedford was made aware of the situation when he saw other surfers in a flurry trying to help the man, said Mangawhai Heads Volunteer Lifeguard Service's media coordinator Tony Baker.

"Quinn just ran across the rocks and jumped straight into the ocean, he didn't have rescue tubes or fins, he just jumped straight in the water," said Baker.

After a treacherous extraction through the surf and across rocks, Bedford immediately gave the man CPR as he was unresponsive.

Kehoe rushed in from the surf to assist Bedford.

Two off-duty lifeguards rescued the surfer who nearly drowned after being knocked out on rocks around 5.30pm as it was beginning to get dark. Photo / Supplied

The man received several rounds of CPR before regaining consciousness, said Baker.

"The patient was resuscitated twice and, once breathing, they drove him back from around the point, approximately one kilometre to the bay, where the ambulance transported him to hospital," the club wrote in a post on Facebook.

The man is understood to be in a stable condition.

Baker said Bedford was still in shock following the rescue.

Bedford and Kehoe's quick thinking and actions are going to be put forward for the club's rescue-of-the-year award, said Baker.

"This is putting everything we train for and everything we prepare for as lifeguards into action, especially without having any assets, they didn't have any first-aid equipment, they were literally just a couple of guys on their weekend going for a surf up in the Far North and they saved someone's life," said Baker.

"It's pretty amazing, I'm very proud of these boys."