A Dunedin surf lifesaver is being praised after jumping into the Blue Pools near Makarora to rescue a man who got into trouble while swimming.
Police are reminding swimmers to know their limits and exercise caution following the near-drowning.
The 24-year-old man was swimming at the river with friends yesterday when he got into difficulty about 4pm and they were unable to pull him out, a police spokeswoman said.
The surf lifesaver then jumped in and pulled him out and a nurse, who was already at the scene, performed CPR.
The man, believed to be an Australian tourist, was successfully resuscitated and flown by a Queenstown rescue helicopter to Dunedin Hospital about 6pm.
He had hypothermia but was in a stable condition today.
It was a fantastic result for what was initially reported as a drowning, the police spokeswoman said.
The Blue Pools on the Haast Pass-Makarora Rd are a popular tourist stop on State Highway 6.
- By Kerrie Waterworth
