On the evening of May 25, guided by a light from a hovering helicopter, Brad Walters and his surf rescue team headed into the water off Kariaotahi Beach, south of Auckland.
They had received a call that three people, including a child, had been tossed into the water after their boat capsized.
It took the team a matter of minutes to find the group and return them safely to shore and this heroic effort has earned them national and international recognition.
The squad have been awarded Rescue of the Year at the 2020 Surf Life Saving New Zealand National Awards of Excellence on Saturday.
It follows a string of other awards, including a runner-up placing at the International Maritime Rescue Federation Awards in London in 2019.
