Helicopter to the rescue in Grove

THE Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter rescued a man at RAAFs Beach in Ocean Grove last week after he became caught in a rip.

Life Saving Victoria’s (LSV) operations manager Greg Scott said the incident occurred just after noon on Friday when rescue helicopter Lifesaver36 flew overhead and noticed a man in distress near the flagged area.

“The crew liaised with lifeguards, who provided support and the crew rescued the man and transported him back to shore.

“He was very tired but had no injuries and is now safe and well.”

Scheduled aerial patrols of the coastline have operated since mid-November and will continue until Easter Monday, with increased daily patrols throughout the busiest summer period from December 24 until January 26.

According to the LSV, the number one beach hazard for swimmers are rips, with more people drowning in rips than from shark attacks, cyclones and floods combined.

LSV has encouraged all beachgoers to learn how to identify and avoid a rip current, as three-quarters of people are unable to identify a rip current; and two-thirds of the people who think that they can spot a rip actually cannot.

If you’re caught in a rip current, LSV advises you to stay calm, conserve your energy and consider these options:

Raise an arm and call out to seek help or float with the current, it may return you to a shallow sandbank.

Swim parallel to the beach you may escape the rip current.

Reassess the situation – if what you’re doing isn’t working, try another option until you return to shore

Whenever possible, swim between the red and yellow flags

For more information, head to beachsafe.org.au or download the Beachsafe app.