KEY POINTS:
A New Zealand lifesaver has told of the 11-hour fight for life he and a woman companion endured while trapped in a sea cave in Cornwall, England.
Shane Davis, and Renee Potgieter, both from Christchurch, found themselves cut off in the cave at Trenance Point at Mawgan Porth on Monday.
They were eventually rescued after Mr Davis, who had been a lifesaver at Christchurch's New Brighton Beach, went for help and was spotted by rescuers.
Mr Davis said he and Ms Potgieter, both 21, were exploring the coastline in wetsuits when a rip swept her out to sea. "I swam out after her. With the size of the surf I was unable to get her out of the rip, and got sucked around the point and smashed up on the rocks a little bit. Renee was freaking out," he told the Guardian. "The cave was our only choice. When the tide came into the cave we got smashed up on to the rocks.
They took off their wetsuits to share their body heat. "We found a spot and just huddled in the corner. It was very, very cold and I was worried she was not going to survive. She was drifting in and out of consciousness."
Mr Davis saw lights and swam for 40 minutes to get out into the open sea. Ms Potgieter was flown to hospital suffering from hypothermia.
Coastguards said it was a miracle they survived.
John Broad of the Lifeboat Institute said the way Mr Davis looked after his friend was inspirational.
- NZPA
