Paddle boarders rescued after being swept more than 10km across Port Phillip Bay in three-hour ordeal | Melbourne

Two paddle boarders rescued after being adrift for more than 10km in Victoria’s Port Phillip Bay on Christmas Day say they are exhausted and shaken but grateful to have survived.

Victoria police said the pair set off from Portarlington on the Bellarine peninsula at around 3pm on Thursday, but when conditions deteriorated they drifted into the bay and ended up at Wyndham port in Melbourne’s west west.

Police said they were among six people rescued from three separate potential drowning incidents in Victoria on the same day.

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The two paddle boarders were a 51-year-old woman and her 17-year-old stepson. ABC reported.

After their families raised the alarm just after 5pm, ground police officers, air wing police helicopter officers, Life Saving Victoria and Queenscliff coastguard officers went looking for them.

At about 6:20 p.m., air wing officers spotted the couple, who were not wearing life jackets, lying on paddle boards and waving for help, police said. Other than being exhausted and cold, they were not physically injured, police said.

In a statement made through the police, the duo said they wanted to express their sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the rescue efforts.

“We are so grateful for the outcome but still struggling to come to terms with how quickly a lovely, carefree afternoon almost turned into tragedy,” they said.

“We are exhausted, very shaken, and feel very lucky to have been able to stay together. We appreciate the efforts of all the institutions involved.”

“Decisive and swift action enabled us not only to save, but also to survive. Thank you very much.”

In another Christmas Day incident, police said they were called to Lake King in Paynesville around 1:30 p.m. following reports of a kayaker in trouble.

Police said officers were told the man was seen struggling before his kayak rolled over and had not been seen for nearly two hours.

Police said the water police, air wing and coastguard were searching for the man in Hoppers Pass, who was spotted by a police helicopter just before 3pm, picked up by the coastguard and returned to shore unharmed.

Police said they were called to Westernport Bay after a mother and her two teenage daughters had difficulty canoeing near the Corinella pier around 2.10pm.

Police said the trio attempted to rescue a drifting canoe when currents and strong winds dragged them a significant distance from shore. They were all wearing life jackets.

The women and girls were about 1km from the coastline and police said local officers were co-ordinating with the Westpac rescue helicopter to transport them to safety.

The injured were released back to Corinella, police said.