Police in Auckland are praising a Pukekohe man for saving a teenager from drowning on Sunday night.
Three teenagers were swimming at dusk at Kariotahi Beach near Waiuku, when they were caught in a rip and were swept out to sea.
One of them managed to swim back to shore and asked a Brendon Pooley of Pukekohe for help.
Mr Pooley went out on his body board calling out in the dark for the other two.
He found one of them after about 15 minutes, but it took 50 minutes to locate the third and get him to shore.
Constable Andy Shaw said Mr Pooley was particularly courageous, given the sea conditions and the darkness.
