British Surfer and Friend Die in Drowning at Victoria Beach During Severe Weather

A British man drowned at Frankston Beach, Victoria, after his surfboard broke during severe weather, and the 43-year-old friend who tried to rescue him also died. Police retrieved both men, but neither survived. Authorities had warned the public to avoid the water due to high winds of up to 130 km/h. Police described the deaths as preventable and urged people not to swim or surf in dangerous conditions.

A British man has tragically lost his life after his surfboard snapped during wild weather off the coast of Victoria, Australia, and the friend who tried to save him also drowned. The incident occurred at Frankston Beach, approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) southeast of Melbourne, on Wednesday afternoon, prompting urgent police action after emergency calls reported that two men were struggling in the water.

Authorities dispatched a police helicopter, which arrived at the scene within 15 minutes. Both men were hoisted from the water and brought back to shore, but despite immediate attempts to resuscitate them, neither survived. The police officer who assisted in retrieving the men required hospital treatment after swallowing water but was later discharged.

At this time, neither of the men has been formally identified, as police are still in the process of notifying their families. Individual reports on each death will be prepared for the coroner.

Police had previously warned the public to stay out of the water on Wednesday due to dangerously high winds, which reached gusts of up to 130 kilometers per hour across the state. Detective Inspector Melissa Nixon provided details about the victims, noting that the surfer, aged 36, had minimal experience and appeared to be in the early stages of learning to surf. She emphasized that the weather conditions were unsuitable for anyone to be in the water, regardless of skill level.

The second man, 43, acted heroically by jumping into the water to try to rescue his friend when he noticed him struggling after the surfboard broke. Detective Inspector Nixon explained, “They've actually jumped into the water to help, and conditions were that bad. He's obviously succumbed to the conditions of the waves and the water.”

Nixon described the scenes of the men being retrieved from the water as deeply confronting and expressed that both deaths could have been prevented. She strongly urged members of the public to avoid swimming or surfing under such treacherous conditions to prevent further tragedies. Authorities continue to stress the dangers posed by extreme weather on coastal areas and are reminding the community to heed official warnings during high-risk conditions.