A British man drowned while surfing in Australia after his surfboard broke during wild conditions.
His friend, a 43-year-old man, died while trying to save him.
Neither of them have been formally identified.
The incident happened on Wednesday off Frankston Pier in southern Melbourne, during wind gusts of up to 81 mph, authorities have said.
Police Detective Inspector Melissa Nixon said the British man was inexperienced at surfing and had become distressed.
“He was struggling in the water after the surfboard broke. He wasn’t experienced at surfing. His friend obviously saw he was in distress and jumped in to help him,” Nixon told reporters
Bystanders raised the alarm at 5pm, and emergency services arrived within 15 minutes.
A police rescue helicopter responded to the call and pulled both men from the water, but neither could be revived.
One emergency responder was taken to hospital overnight after taking in “a large amount of water” but was discharged on Thursday, Nixon said.
Nixon cautioned people from entering the water during unsafe conditions.
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