Gold Coast lifeguards have been involved in a mass rescue after several people entered the water late yesterday to help a man who got into trouble.
Police are searching for a 35-year-old man who went missing in Gold Coast waters late yesterday.
The Southport man reportedly entered the water off Miami Beach, along with a fisherman and others about 6pm.
Police say the fisherman and the other man returned, but the Southport resident was dragged out to sea.
A land, sea and air search was launched late Thursday, but was hampered by darkness and called off.
Overnight, patrol buggies searched the shoreline, before a widescale search resumed this morning.
Chris Maynard told ABC Gold Coast lifeguards were on the scene with police last night and there had been some confusion over who was missing after police initially reported it was the fisherman.
"When we got here the lifeguards reacted pretty quickly and got into the water straight away with the rescue boards," the chief lifeguard said.
"There was a lot of people in the water and there was a little bit of confusion on who was actually missing … there was people in distress, as well, who were looking for the person that was presumed drowned.
Mr Maynard said it was lucky more people were not injured.
"A lot more people could have perished last night, for sure — it's just everyone's nature that if someone is in distress you want to help them," he said.
"It was just one of those afternoons — small ocean and the water looked not too bad … people rushed into the water to help them and they got into trouble themselves.
"It's one of those ones where you're probably just better off trying to keep an eye on the person and calling for help and waiting for the person who has the necessary skills to help people in the ocean."
He said conditions were fair for the search.
"It's been a summer of big and solid swell … this morning the [swell has dropped]," Mr Maynard said.
