Lifesaver under attack

Surfer grabbed arm, threw punch, says witness

AN angry surfer allegedly grabbed a volunteer lifesaver by the arm after he was told to leave the area between the flags at a Gold Coast beach.

Three surfers, two believed to be aged in their teens, were surfing out the back of the patrolled Miami Beach around 4.45pm yesterday where they were seen to be surfing between the flags.

Off-duty Bulletin photographer Jerad Williams said he was having a swim when the altercation caught his eye.

He said he then swam out to help the lifesaver, who had taken a board out to the men to ask them to leave the area. His instructions were rebuffed.

The trio had also ignored lifesavers calling out to them via the megaphone.

“They were being cheeky, just saying they’re in the right, that they were outside the flags,” Mr Williams said.

“But they kept surfing between flags.”

Mr Williams said the trio was sitting on the southernmost side of the no-craft zone flags, still within the outer flags, before catching waves into the designated swimming area. He said one swimmer was nearly hit by one of the surfers.

He said the lifesaver stayed in the area to prevent the men from surfing but one of the surfers hit his board as he caught a wave.

The move apparently resulted in the surfer receiving a ding to his own board.

The surfer then allegedly became angry and grabbed the lifesaver by the arm, yelled at him and attempted to throw a punch.

“He’s just trying to do his job as a volunteer, as a life saver, they all knew they shouldn’t have been there, they were just trying to catch better waves,” Mr Williams said.

“Lifesavers just shouldn’t be copping this crap.”

Four more lifesavers, including another on a board and two in an RIB, also attended before the surfers finally left the no-craft zone.

SLSQ Gold Coast life saving co-ordinator Nathan Fife said the incident was disappointing as most surfers complied when asked to leave flagged areas.

“Our lifesavers are patrolling the red and yellow flags for the public so they can keep them safe and enjoy swimming without danger, but some surfers come too close to the flags, even though there’s a lot of

THEY ALL KNEW THEY SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN THERE ... LIFESAVERS JUST SHOULDN’T BE COPPING THIS CRAP

areas for surfers to surf,” he said. “These volunteers have given up their time to make sure swimmers are safe on the beach.”

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