This is the dramatic moment a volunteer rescuer saved a fisherman who was stuck on a rock at a beach in Thailand.

Footage shows the officer swimming toward the Na, 50, who had ignored weather warnings to catch fish in Chonburi, on May 26.

The brave responder battled against churning waves to reach the man, seen nonchalantly holding his fishing rod as he stood on the rocky outcrop.

He gave the angler a life vest, and the pair swam back to the shore some 500ft (150m) away.

The fisherman said: 'When I went out to fish, the tide was still low. But as the day went on, the water rose quickly.

'I was reluctant to swim back because I was afraid of damaging my fishing gear. I thought the tide would go back down eventually, but it didn't so I just continued fishing until the rescuer arrived.'

He was allowed to return home after a check-up.

Beach drownings are a recurring safety concern in Thailand, especially in tourist hotspots like Phuket, Pattaya, and Krabi. The deaths often attributed to strong rip currents, lack of swimming skills, and disregard for warning signages.

The waters are most dangerous during the country's rainy monsoon season, when red flags are placed in beaches to warn of dangerous sea conditions.