His father said the 12-year-old New Zealand boy was seconds away from drowning after being battered by waves, unable to emerge for air.
The boy, who was swept out to sea by rough waters, was rescued by beachgoers after they formed a human chain to pull the boy back to the shore.
Video shot on a cell phone at the scene captured the race to save him.
(WATCH the video from One News – READ the story from ABC News)