At approximately 10.35pm on Monday, Wellington Police received a report of a male person in the water, near Burdons Gate in Eastbourne.

The male was yelling for help.

The following units responded

· Hutt Police

· Wellington Maritime Police

· Westpac Rescue Helicopter

· Ambulance Service, along with Eastbourne Volunteers and Seaview Fire Service

In the meantime persons on shore were trying to locate the location of the person in the water and once they located him with a torch, they saw he was in difficulty and his head went under water, at this stage he was more than 50 metres from shore.

Two members of the public, a male and a female entered the water and swam out to the male who had become unconsicous and managed to bring the male into shore, where they commenced CPR.

Police staff along with Fire Service arrived a short time later and continued CPR and the male was taken to Hospital in a serious condition.

The identity of the male is not known at this stage:

He is described as a male Indian approximately mid twenties to mid thirties.

He was wearing a Maroon colour short sleeved poloi shirt and a pair of black light weight trousers.

He was not carrying any form of ID on him.

Police would like to hear from anyone who knows the identity of this male and they should contact the Lower Hutt Police on: (04) 560-2600

Senior Sergeant Andre Kowalczyk says the actions of the two members of the public who entered the water is to be applauded, they did an excellent job in very difficult circumstances and their efforts to enter the water to save this mans life were exceptional.

The two rescuers are both young people and their actions were extremly brave.

Source: New Zealand Police.