Hero bartender saved drowning man from Melbourne river

A bartender and manager from a Melbourne pub have been hailed as heroes – although they won’t admit it – after saving a man who fell into the Yarra River last night.

Wharf Hotel bartender Matt McKiernan said he heard the man shouting for help near the Jim Stynes Bridge in Docklands shortly before 11.30pm.

Mr McKiernan said he quickly took his “kit off” and dived in to save the struggling man.

“I was closing up and saw a bloke floating down the river screaming, ‘help, help, help’ so I took my kit off, jumped in the river and by the time I got to him, he was pretty much underwater,” he said.

“A few lads who were drinking helped me pull him in and gave him CPR.

“I’m glad he’s alright...I was apprehensive at first because I've seen what floats in this river, and if anyone is curious it does not taste good."

Hotel manager Bobby Corbett, who had been celebrating at the pub after finishing Tough Mudder, administered CPR before authorities arrived.

“Oh it was a group effort. Matt dragged him up to the site, we dragged him back over to land, performed CPR and another employee gave us a hand,” he said.

“I’ve done it on a mannequin plenty of times, but never on a live person.”

The humble pair dismissed their heroic efforts, and said they were pleased the distressed man in his 30s eventually “came to”.

“Matt was the hero. He jumped in the Yarra! I’m proud of the guys, they did a great job,” Mr Corbett said.

The man was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital in a stable condition.