Brit surfer, 36, drowns alongside friend who tried to save him after his board snapped in winds up to 80mph

AN “INEXPERIENCED” Brit surfer has been found dead after his board snapped while out in dangerous conditions off the coast of Melbourne.

A friend of the 36-year-old tried to save him from drowning but was also tragically found dead by a police helicopter amid strong 81mph winds.

The Brit was reportedly out in choppy waters on the popular pier at Frankston Pier at around 5pm local time on Wednesday.

He quickly started to panic and became distressed after his board broke, according to investigators at Victoria Police.

Inspector Melissa Nixon said the Brit had “minimal experience” with officials believing he may have been only learning to surf while out in Australia.

His friend, a 43-year-old from Frankston, saw the Brit struggling and immediately tried to swim towards him.

Police rushed to the scene to find both men in trouble far from dry land.

The police’s Air Wing helicopter unit came to assist in the rescue operation as both men were winched back to shore.

Neither man could be revived as ambulance crews confirmed their deaths as they arrived.

One of the brave emergency responders was taken to hospital overnight following the recovery mission after taking in a “large amount of water”, cops said.

Inspector Nixon said the tragedy highlights a key issue with inexperienced surfers taking to the water during dangerous conditions.

She said: “His friend obviously thought he was in distress and jumped in to help him.

“The weather conditions yesterday were obviously not appropriate to be in the water surfing, whether you’re experienced or not.

“It is a risk that you take that you put other people in danger.”

It remains unclear what caused the surfboard to snap.

The two men are yet to be formally identified.

Large parts of Melbourne has been battered by lashing rainfall and heavy winds across the past 24 hours.

Emergency crews were forced to work through the night as trees across multiple suburbs were uprooted and power lines collapsed.

More than 2,000 homes were without power as of Wednesday evening, authorities said.