About 6pm, Scott Layzell was one of two men who jumped into the Murrumbidgee River to rescue another man who was struggling to stay afloat.

“We were having a barbecue and just chilling when we heard a bloke screaming for help,” Mr Layzell said.

“Another man had already gone to help and I thought it was all good, but he started to struggle, too.

“He wasn’t a swimmer, so I jumped in to help [both].

“The first man who needed rescuing was pretty stuffed as he hadn’t had a lot of exposure to water.”

Mr Layzell, 27, is an airfield defence guard in the air force and was visiting family in Wagga.

He said “it all happened pretty quickly” and that the man needing rescue was from the United Kingdom.

“He drifted out a bit, about 1km down from the barbecue area,” Mr Layzell said.

No CPR was needed and emergency services were not called.

However, Mr Layzell, who grew up around water and is keen on body boarding, reminded those seeking recreational activities among waterways to learn about safety beforehand.

“Know the conditions before going and always keep an eye on each other,” he said.

“It’s pretty easy to get complacent – I didn’t realise myself the current at Wagga Beach could be that strong.”

Mr Layzell’s mother-in-law, Wagga’s Judy Bagley, said “everyone on the beach froze” during the incident.

“There was about 100 people and most didn’t know what to do – I was terrified,” Ms Bagley said.

“We spoke to the man about water safety after and about how every year there’s one or two drownings there.

“We also asked him if he was aware of the current and he said he didn’t realise it could be that strong on the other side.

“It must’ve been a scary thing to go through because you can’t hear screams if they’re underwater.”

Following the rescue, a priest who witnessed the incident said a prayer for those involved.

Wagga police Inspector Adrian Telfer said those seeking to use waterways needed to ensure they follow guidelines, which included avoiding alcohol consumption beforehand.

“Please just bear in mind that it can be dangerous,” Inspector Telfer said.

“Please just be responsible in terms of your alcohol consumption.”

In the past decade, 1995 men have died in preventable drowning across the country based on Royal Life Saving Society’s data.

Two in five men had drugs and/or alcohol in their systems.

Inspector Telfer said the heatwave being experienced in the region would also mean more people seeking respite.

“Past years show that a lot of people in town go down to the river and Wagga Beach for a swim,” he said.

“If you do enter water, be sure you enter with someone and that you’re adequately trained with your swimming.”

The calls come after the annual statewide campaign ‘Be Water Safe, Not Sorry’ was launched in early summer by the state government, Surf Life Saving NSW and Marine Rescue NSW.

It lists the Murrumbidgee River as one drowning ‘black spot’ that will advertise the campaign.

In mid-December, SES local controller Daniel Mahoney advised people to “know your limitations and abilities”.

“Always swim in a pair or with a group,” Mr Mahoney said.

Between Christmas 2017 and January 2, 2018, seven people tragically lost their lives and 36 fatally drowned across NSW’s waterways.

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