Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service head coach John Bryant is pleased the rescue of a 17-year-old with autism on Wednesday afternoon had a happy conclusion.

But as the saying goes: ‘never turn your back on the sea', and John knows too well that yesterday's rescue at the Hart Street section of the beach could have easily had a different, tragic, outcome.

Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service head coach John Bryant. Photo: Jamie Troughton/Dscribe Media Services

Mount lifeguards were called into action after the teenage boy's caregivers raised the alarm at about 3.30pm.

'For what I understand after talking to his caregivers, they'll blow a whistle when they want him to come in, but there was an onshore wind yesterday so he most likely didn't hear it,” explains John.

'The kid was strong when we reached him, but had he stayed out there for longer I'd hate to think what could've happened because he was at the head of a rip and wouldn't have known.”

After explaining the situation to the teenager, lifeguards guided him down the beach away from the rip before making their way safely into shore.

John says the conditions on Wednesday had eased compared to earlier in the week, but he is warning swimmers that there are a number of rips all along the coastline at the moment.

Now that the patrols are finished he is imploring people 'to be safe, be smart, and if you are in doubt then stay out of the water”.

'We're probably more on edge than other clubs with what's happened over the last couple of years.

'I was standing on the beach on Monday by the IRB and a two-year-old took off on her parents and was running flat tack towards the water. I managed to grab her, but if I hadn't then she was gone.

'It was that quick,” says John