A 61-year-old Yarrawonga man was rescued from rising floodwaters after ignoring SES warnings and entering a torrential Murray River on a paddle board.
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Police were called to find him stuck in the fork of a gum tree along with his dog at the western end of Yarrawonga Holiday Park about 10am.
Nathalia-based Sergeant Bruce Rigoni told The Border Mail the man had been told not to enter floodwaters yesterday.
But the man ignored this and returned to a caravan Wednesday evening.
After attempting to paddle back to Yarrawonga Thursday morning a friend had noticed he was missing and called police about 9.30am.
A police helicopter took to the skies about noon to determine the man’s location and then two police on a boat rescued him and his dog.
Paramedics and SES were also on scene.
After being retrieved, the man said he had learnt his lesson and would not be doing it again.
“I was scared,” he said.
Sergeant Rigoni reiterated calls for the community to not enter floodwaters.
“He was told yesterday not to go back to his caravan,” he said.
“It’s very frustrating … it’s an act of stupidity.”
