An overturned boat at Ocean Grove Beach, a race against the clock...

Picture this.

Three people, fighting for their lives in freezing, unpredictable waters.

Their boat overturned.
Exhausted, cold, and losing strength.

Three people - somebody’s loved one, best friend, neighbour, workmate – alone and scared and at the mercy of the deep, vast ocean.

Helpless and struggling to stay alive, 1.5km out to sea.

It was Saturday 8 February, when a call came into the Ocean Grove SLSC clubhouse for urgent assistance in an emergency that would test the skill, instinct, and incredible teamwork of the club’s volunteer surf lifesavers.

A vessel had capsized offshore, leaving three people stranded in freezing water. Conditions were difficult. The clock was ticking.

Immediately, a critical multi-agency rescue involving Ocean Grove SLSC, Victoria Police Air Wing, Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), and Ambulance Victoria was launched - everyone working together with one mission:

To help those in their greatest hour of need and save them from a tragic end.

“It was a rescue unlike anything I’d ever faced.”

“It involved all the skills I’ve learnt from my years of lifesaving and put them altogether in a single rescue, and for that it was quite unique,” said volunteer surf lifesaver, Henry Gove.

When the call came in, Henry, along with fellow volunteer surf lifesavers, Bruce Honey, Fletcher Anderson, Benjamin Eales, Nicholas Giblin, Michell James, Jacob Lee, and Scott McNaugton knew that the situation was critical.

Somewhere out there were three people. Cold, scared, and struggling.

Bruce remembers the moment clearly.

“We actually couldn't see them properly at that stage,” he said. “We knew they were in trouble, but with all of these things, you can't help someone if you can't help yourself.”

Both seasoned IRB crew members, Bruce and Henry would be the ones to head out in the Inflatable Rescue Boat (IRB). Before they left shore, the group ran through every possible scenario, checking equipment and confirming their plan. Safety, for themselves and the patients came first, and ocean rescues like this demand extraordinary skill.

There was swell, spray and shifting light. When visibility is difficult, currents are shifting, and debris fills the water, even the smallest mistake can cost a life.

Making this rescue even more complex was the level of coordination required between multiple emergency services. Two helicopters, the police air wing and the HEMS air ambulance, were circling overhead, working in unison with the team in the IRB.

“We had the state duty officer liaising with police and HEMS to make sure that our path was lit up, and everyone was on the same page. We also had Nick, up on the cliff watching from an aerial point of view.”

Meanwhile, the team on the beach was preparing First Aid and other medical equipment for the patients’ arrival.

As Henry and Bruce headed out in the IRB, the police air wing lit their route. A flashing strobe soon caught their attention as the first patient was located.

“They dropped the strobe on that patient, so we were able to identify where he was,” Bruce explains. “As you can imagine, there's choppers flying everywhere, there's big lights shining and moving around. That strobe helped guide us.”

The first patient was located and pulled aboard, clearly suffering from the cold. The pair knew they needed to move quickly, and then the helicopter lights shifted to reveal two more people clinging to the upturned vessel.

“As we got closer, we could see some ropes and lines in the water, which is also always a concern,” Bruce said.

But thanks to careful preparation on the beach, Bruce and Henry had everything they needed to perform the rescue safely. They retrieved both patients and began the urgent journey back to shore.

“It was extremely cold, and the wind chill was significant,” Bruce said.

“By the time we returned to shore, the team there had First Aid Kits, oxygen kits, everything ready to go.”

The volunteer surf lifesavers on the beach administered oxygen, provided active thermal management, and continued monitoring the group until Ambulance Victoria arrived.

Saving precious lives – The outcome that matters most

The extreme circumstances of this rescue, and the rapid response, courage, and bravery demonstrated by the eight volunteer surf lifesavers from Ocean Grove SLSC, saw them recognised with a Meritorious Award at the 2025 Awards of Excellence - one of Surf Life Saving Australia’s top honours.

But the real reward for the rescuers involved, and the reason they do what they do?

All three people survived.

And standing beside them, supporting them through this brave rescue were Surf Life Saving’s supporters. People like you.