Surf lifesavers warn the Sunshine Coast could face its most hazardous season of rescues and fatalities if people don’t swim between the flags.
A double drowning at Teewah Beach on Noosa North Shore Saturday highlighted just how dangerous it can be to stray from patrolled areas.
Surf lifesaving volunteers and lifeguards are bracing for what looms as their greatest test as the holiday season officially begins for state school students Thursday.
They fear the combination of the “staycation’’ boom in the wake of COVID, which has seen Sunshine Coast accommodation inundated, and a long, hot summer will stretch them to the limit.
Police said Saturday’s tragedy unfolded as children were enjoying themselves in the shallow water at the remote location at 3pm.
“The children were wading in the shallows and got caught out by a rogue wave,” a police spokesman said.
“As a result of that a number of children were dragged into the deeper water.
“A couple of the parents have gone in to rescue the children.”
The rescue turned to tragedy when the two men got into trouble in the water and themselves required help.
Police said the conditions had appeared “fine”, but the ocean had an underlying rip which could catch people out.
Two men died and a nine-year-old boy was treated on the beach and taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition. The family is believed to have been visiting from Dalby.
Surf Life Saving Queensland (SLSQ) Sunshine Coast manager, Aaron Purchase, said the double fatality was a “tragic reminder to only ever swim between the red and yellow flags’’.
Mr Purchase said the reason was simple: “It’s so that if you do get into trouble, lifesavers and lifeguards are there to assist’’.
He said the expected record number of visitors and warm weather pointed to a massive summer for the Coast’s 3000 volunteer surf lifesavers, as well as SLSQ lifeguards.
“Each summer seems to bring new challenges and get busier and busier. It will be a challenge to manage these large crowds,’’ Mr Purchase told sunshinecoastnews.com.au.
“The holiday season seems to have started earlier and the warm weather and fact people have been cooped up adds to the challenge,’’ he said.
Mr Purchase said the lack of international visitors, who sometimes struggled in our surf conditions and required rescuing, could be a positive.
The Teewah tragedy (below) came as families flocked to beaches as temperatures soared, with more hot weather expected Monday and Tuesday before the maximums drop from 33C to a much cooler 26C on Wednesday.
Surf Life Saving Queensland said there were a number of concerning incidents at busy local beaches, including the rescue of a woman near Coolum Beach.
Eleven people drowned at Queensland beaches during the 2019/20 season.
Lifesavers and lifeguards performed 2,555 rescues, with 89% of those taking place outside the red and yellow flags.
Men over the age of 50 were identified as an at-risk demographic, with 64% of drowning victims in that category.
Analysis and numerous reports have identified the key factors involved in drownings. These are a lack of knowledge or misjudgment of the hazard, lack of supervision or surveillance, and a swimmers’ inability to cope once in difficulty.
