Six surf lifesavers carried a rescue boat to shore across mud flats while performing CPR on a Canberra teenager.
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The men were unable to save 13-year-old Georgia Vizovitis after the boat she was in capsized while trying to cross the Moruya bar in conditions described as "appalling" on March 24.
But they returned another five people, including Georgia's father and brother, safely to shore, and were honoured with Surf Lifesaving Australia's national rescue of the month award at Parliament House on Thursday.
Former Canberra Raiders player Michael Weyman, who returned to his hometown of Moruya at the end of his rugby league career in 2015, was one of the first lifesavers on the scene.
He and Shaun Pike raced to the bar on an inflatable rescue boat, where they were met by Broulee surf lifesaver Andrew Edmunds, who was on a jet ski.
Mr Edmunds said they arrived to find that two children, both aged 13, had already been helped out of the water by people on a commercial fishing vessel.
The lifesavers helped a man onto the fishing boat, and picked up Georgia's father and another man in the inflatable rescue boat.
When Georgia's father told the lifesavers that she was missing, and possibly underneath their upturned and partially submerged boat, they unsuccessfully attempted to overturn it.
As Mr Edmunds gave the survivors lifejackets and ferried them to shore in several trips, lifesavers Mick Bellette, Ken Bellette, and Ben Ralston arrived from Batemans Bay with diving gear.
They found Georgia unconscious under the upturned boat, and placed her in the inflatable rescue boat, where lifesavers began CPR.
But as they got closer to shore, mud flats made it impossible to drive the rescue boat the rest of the way to waiting paramedics.
"All six of us had to carry the boat across the river, with the patient, as CPR was conducted," Mr Edmunds said.
"That proved to be quite tiring for everyone, but we got back to the ambulance and they checked her out.
"Unfortunately, she couldn't be revived."
The five survivors, four of whom were from the ACT, were all taken to Moruya Hospital and later discharged.
Georgia's death was devastating for the lifesavers, but the following day, Mr Weyman said they were given a powerful reminder of why their volunteer work was so important.
"We were having a big clean-up at the [surf lifesaving] club and [Georgia's] family actually came down and shook our hands and said 'thanks very much'," Mr Weyman said.
"They were very, very thankful to us for being there, and that's why we do it, to put back into the community.
"It's tough because you don't know what to expect when you get called out, particularly in a close-knit community.
"But we're very blessed to have such beautiful coast here, and to have people who put their lives on the line to keep people safe while they enjoy it."
In a statement, Surf Lifesaving Australia praised the lifesavers' "remarkable bravery".
"The lifesavers involved showed great strength and courage in the face of adversity.
"Had they not been present, this situation could have become even more distressing."
