Young woman swims out to save three men drowning off Sunshine Coast beach

A young woman has risked her life to save three men swept out to sea in a rip on the Sunshine Coast.

Saige Morris was at Mooloolaba beach when she saw out in the water one man having trouble staying afloat, with two friends also in trouble beside him.

“One was going under and he ended up just going face-down, so I ran out to grab him, and the other two were just panicking,” she said.

She reached the drowning man and held his head out of the water while flagging down a passing rescue helicopter.

The men were pulled from the water just after 3pm.

The man Saige had supported was revived and taken to hospital, while his friends were treated at the beach.

Lifesavers said the men had been lucky Saige was there, but she said she hadn’t thought about the possible consequences when she swam out.

“He was in trouble, so I went and helped him,” she said.