Further to this week’s ongoing series of incidents at Auckland’s west coast beaches: a further incident occurred this afternoon (Friday 9 October), again at O’Neills Bay north of Bethells Beach.

Details regarding today’s incident:

• At 12.14pm, the Bethells Emergency Callout Squad was alerted to three people being swept out to sea at O’Neill’s Beach just north of Bethells, the same location where a fisherman was swept off the rocks on Moday and is presumed drowned.
• The Bethells lifeguards arrived on scene within 15 minutes, by which time the three people, a 45-year-old woman, a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy, were back on shore but the woman and boy were losing consciousness and showing signs of exhaustion and shock.
• Lifeguards administered oxygen and performed first-aid until the Westpac Rescue Helicopter arrived and transported the woman to hospital. The boy had improved enough to be taken back to the Bethells surf club for further treatment by St John paramedics.

Key points

• This was the sixth major incident in six days for west coast lifeguards.
• Through the efforts of the SLSNR callout squads six lives were saved, but sadly two people also drowned (one presumed).
• This marks 34 callouts in Northern Region since start of May 2020
• SLSNR urges Aucklanders and others attending the beaches this weekend to take precautions, especially on the west coast.

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