Mount Maunganui lifeguards' relentless search efforts in the days after Jack Dixon was swept out to sea has helped them secure the Eastern Region Rescue of the Month award for the winter season.

Each month, Surf Life Saving New Zealand selects a winning rescue from each region as well as an overall national winner for the title of BP Rescue of the Month, which has gone to Muriwai Volunteer Lifeguard Service.

Surf lifesavers scour the rocks around Mauao hours after five-year-old Jack Dixon was swept into the water. Photos: Bruce Barnard.

At 11am on October 1, Mount Lifeguard Service lifeguards undertook the rescue of a 13 year-old surfer near the end of Moturiki Island on the main beach.

But around 50 minutes later, the Bay of Plenty was stopped in its tracks after five-year-old Jack was swept out to sea after a large wave, amid rough seas conditions, washed into Shelley Beach.

Jack was playing with his cousins, two sisters aged 12 and 14, by the edge of the water at the time. Two adults and three other children were close by watching them.

The two girls managed to get to a nearby rock and were helped to shore by the adults, but Jack disappeared from view.

Police and lifeguards were notified simultaneously by an off-duty policeman who had come across the distraught family members.

Lifeguards were dispatched to Shelley Beach as calls were placed to the callout squad required to crew and launch IRBs. Calls were also placed to members of neighbouring surf clubs and SLSNZ staff.

The search quickly escalated to a full-scale operation involving multiple agencies including police, coastguard, land search and rescue and the rescue helicopter.

The search continued for a number of days and involved Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service and neighbouring clubs in a variety of roles.

Later that day lifeguards also undertook a further six rescues between 3pm and 6.40pm.

The rescues included a 29-year-old surfer who was picked up by an IRB near the end of Moturiki Island, followed by another two separate rescues, just over an hour apart, of surfers near the blowhole on the main beach.

A further hour later, a 43-year-old surfer was picked up in an IRB in the Banks Ave area followed five minutes later by two more surfers, aged 25 and 22, near the blowhole area of the main beach.

These rescues, performed during a full scale search, could have easily resulted in fatalities had lifeguards not been on hand to assist quickly.

Surf Life Saving New Zealand Chairman Geoff Hamilton says the extraordinary efforts shown by the Lifeguards was outstanding.

Geoff says: 'Admiration of the skill and professionalism shown by those involved in the incident is testament to qualities valued by Surf Life Saving New Zealand and BP.”

The club receives a $100 fuel voucher from BP to help with the financial costs of keeping communities safe in the water.