Adam Turner and William and Adrian Kors have been awarded a Group Bravery Citation for saving the lives of seven people caught in a rip at Austinmer Beach.

On January 18, 2021, after finishing a swim at Austinmer Beach, Adam noticed seven people on a shallow sandbar at the beach's northern end. Suddenly, a set of waves knocked them off the sandbar and pushed them into a rip.

Adam sprinted to the swimmers and Adrian Kors, who had just exited the water from his own swim, joined Adam in the rescue without hesitation. They quickly saved two of the swimmers, but Adam noticed two others had been swept further behind the rocks, where they were in danger of being smashed against them. Adam managed to reach them, but holding onto them proved challenging.

That’s when William Kors ran the length of the rocks and dove into the water with a boogie board, providing crucial flotation for the rescue. Together, the three men were able to rescue all seven of the swimmers.

As part of the Australian Bravery Decorations of 2024, Governor-General of Australia Sam Mostyn awarded the three men the Group Bravery Citation.

“It's a huge honour, it's very humbling,” Adam said.

For Adam, a surf lifesaver since 2017, stepping in to rescue the swimmers felt like his duty. However, he emphasised that Will and Adrian, who aren't surf lifesavers, showed extraordinary courage and selflessness to willingly put themselves in harm's way to save others.

“It's members of the community that didn't think twice,” Adam said.

“I couldn't have done that without them.

“That's where the real excitement sits with me, seeing those two guys being recognised and it doesn't get much higher than the Governor-General.”

Stories like these are all too common in the Illawarra – since the 2021 incident, Adam has been involved in an eight-person rescue.

“We see way too many people trying to enter the water or go in for a swim after-hours at a beach that's not got a patrol up,” Adam said.

“The whole messaging out of this that we've been trying to push, you don't do that.

“Do only swim at beaches that are patrolled in patrol hours in the flags.”

Since the 2021 mass rescue, Austinmer Surf Life Saving has implemented rapid-access initiatives, such as wristbands for emergency equipment instead of the key-and-lock system, and has encouraged quicker response times, especially at dusk when visibility is low. To further prevent such situations, SLSA advises members of the public to ask surf lifesavers or lifeguards for advice about beach conditions before they enter the ocean.

“Ask them about the conditions, they're more than willing to educate people on what rips look like and how dangerous they can be and where not to swim,” Adam said.

Read more

• Prof Rob Brander, aka Dr Rip, shares How to spot a rip and Types and What to do
• Explore Austinmer Beach by Caitlin Sloan