Chris Malone - or Bugsy - took home the Gold Award for Operational Activity on behalf of the Raglan Surf Lifesaving Club. Photo: Supplied / Surf Life Saving New Zealand
A lifeguard who saved the life of a father trapped in an upturned boat has been recognised with the top prize at an awards ceremony at Parliament.
Chris Malone - or Bugsy - took home the Gold Award for Operational Activity on behalf of the Raglan Surf Lifesaving Club at the Search and Rescue Awards on Tuesday.
It was for a rescue in December, where a small fishing boat carrying a family of three had capsized crossing the Raglan Bar.
Although the son had been thrown clear and the mother was able to get out of the boat, the father remained trapped in the upturned hull, breathing from a small air pocket.
Fortunately, there were members of the Raglan Surf Life Saving Club training nearby.
They responded immediately and pulled the mother and son from the water.
Unable to locate the father, a Surf Lifeguard entered the water to check the boat, cutting his way through tangled fishing line.
After banging on the hull and hearing a response from the forward cabin, the Surf Lifeguard forced open the cabin hatch and pull the trapped man free.
Bugsy told Morning Report there was a little bit of luck involved in the rescue.
"I was anticipating the worst, but the team put a massive effort in, and we were lucky to bring the family home at the end of the day."
He said he was proud himself and his team.
Bugsy said it was his first time in Parliament, and it was "awesome" to spend time with the other search and rescue teams around the country.
"There's some amazing achievements that some of the search and rescue teams do.
"It's just incredible what they do, and how they rescue people all the time, and I feel it gets better and better each year."
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