South Coast teens recount dramatic attempt to rescue man who drowned at Bar Beach Merimbula

The two Bega Valley teenagers spoke to ACM of the dramatic scenes of Saturday after a man drowned despite the best efforts of the two 16-year-olds, several other beachgoers and emergency service personnel.

"We were just laying on the beach, tanning. Then we hear a guy in the water yell out 'help'," Ruby said.

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Looking up, Ruby said she saw two children playing in the shallows and the man calling out also in the water.

"I got up and didn't know how serious it was until the kids came running over and they were pretty hysterical, and that was when we realised something was wrong.

"I ran over towards them in the water and as I started getting deeper in the water and closer to him [the man] he goes: 'there's someone down there'," Ruby said.

Acting on pure adrenaline, 16-year-old Ruby jumped into the water.

"I could just see this shape in the water and as I swam closer I could see there was a person and I grabbed him and pulled him up.

"He wasn't conscious and his face was in the water so I pulled his face out of the water - I think I was trying to pull his mask off but I could just see that he was purple.

"He had a snorkel mask that was covering his whole face and he was wearing a weight vest and a weight belt," Ruby said.

Nearby, Lara stood in shock as the situation unfolded, recounting Ruby's bravery as she signalled for help.

"They were all saying help and stuff and Ruby just jumped in," Lara said. "I started walking into the water and Ruby had already got him and was pulling him out."

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Recounting the dramatic events the day after, Ruby said adrenaline just took over.

After pulling the man to surface, people at the nearby pontoon and on stand-up-paddleboards (SUP) quickly became aware of the situation and came to Ruby's aid.

"The people on the paddleboards were coming over and and they chucked me their phone to call the ambulance," Lara said.

Meanwhile, Ruby continued to hold the man afloat, attempting to get him towards the shore.

"I was on my back trying to swim with him and screaming out and waving at the other people on the SUP boards.

"The girls on the boards came over really fast and were helping me get him in to shore with their boards.

"Once we got where I could stand I was pushing the board and he was half on it," Ruby said.

After getting the man to shore, the girls on the SUPs quickly began CPR on the man.

"They did CPR on him for like half-an-hour and mouth to mouth and everything. They were doing everything they could," Ruby said.

Meanwhile, Ruby and Lara tried to calm down the two children who had alerted them, as they waited for emergency services to arrive.

"Lara went up to the road to get the ambulance.

"By the time they [paramedics] stopped, one of the police officers came over to us and was like 'he didn't make it, there was nothing else you could've done and you did a good job'," Ruby said.

Ruby praised the work of the girls on the paddle boards nearby.

"I felt sick. The girls that did CPR were incredible."

While the man was yet to be formally identified, it's believed he was aged in his 50s.

Officers from South Coast Police District are conducting inquiries and will prepare a report for the coroner.