Young lifeguard rescues eight

Press, 12 January 1977, Page 5

Young lifeguard rescues eight

PA Auckland 1 Seventeen-year-old Brad Lucas is the toast of the Piha Surf Life Saving Club. In two hectic hours he : plunged into the raging surf i repeatedly to drag to safety I or assist the eight people carried aw'ay by the treacher- ; our rip at Piha. At one stage Brad, a paid lifeguard, had just helped one | II person to safety when an-1 ■| other was swept past him. Hei -'swam to him and assisted) r until the helicopter arrived. -IHe was dropped back on 11 shore but almost immediately Ijhad to re-enter the 7ft to Bft i'surf. si Asked if he was ever in r 1 danger during the rescues he -Isaid he lived at the beach ejand had surfed there for the .'last five years so he knew most things about it.

The first of the rescued swimmers. Dave Douglas, aged 19, of Mount Eden, was near exhaustion when he was picked up by helicopter 300 metres out. The Rothman', regional helicopter was used three times in the spate of rescues from 1 p.m. to 3 pm. | An Australian lifeguard, Paul Nielson of Sydney who [is at Piha as part of an exchange scheme, together i with Peter Goodwin, of Titiirangi and the pilot. Keith McKenzie of Pakaranga. worked from the helicopter. Mr Goodwin said the rip (was running at about seven knots which made it almost i impossible for anyone caught yto get out. Four of those i rescued were surfboard 11 riders, one man was body i surfing, and three girls were I also rescued.