Desperate beachgoers formed a human chain to battle "treacherous and dumping" waves to save a boy from drowning.Twelve-year-old Joshua McQuoid was caught by a wave and swept out while playing with a friend at the beach on Napier's Marine Parade in New Zealand at 4.55pm on Sunday.The first two officers who braved the conditions, they are extremely admirable and displayed a lot of bravery getting into the surf.A German tourist went to the boy's aid but was unable to keep a hold of him, a police spokesman said. The conditions were described as "treacherous with dumping waves and an extremely strong undertow".Beachgoers form a human chain to try and rescue a boy.A police officer then swam to the boy but was unable to hold him due to the heavy surf. He was joined by a few members of the public who tried to help.AdvertisementA second officer entered the water and reached the boy, at times losing hold of him as the boy went underwater.He was under for "considerable periods of up to 20 seconds at a time and fading fast", police said.Dramatic rescue: Joshua McQuoid. Photo: SuppliedAbout 12 members of the public and four police officers then desperately grabbed hold of each other to form a human chain, managing to pull the boy to shore. Initially he was "unresponsive, physically spent, and could not move unaided".He was moved up on to the beach where members of the public gave him first aid.Joshua's father, Shane, said the family was grateful to the members of the public and the police who helped in the rescue."I just wish I could thank each and every one. Without them basically my son wouldn't be here."Joshua was at the beach with Hikiroa Ratapu and another friend when the wave knocked them both down, Mr McQuoid said."I think they had their feet in the water and from what Josh said he turned around to speak to his mate when the wave hit."It knocked them down, and his mate and another girl managed to haul themselves out of the water but [Josh] got swept in."Mr McQuoid said Hikiroa was his "little hero"."He realised he couldn't go into the water so he just turned around and started yelling out to people. He was our little hero. That's when they started running to help."Joshua tried to swim to shore but kept getting dragged out and quickly tired while trying to stay afloat as waves broke over him, Mr McQuoid said. "His exact words were he felt like he was in a washing machine."Senior Sergeant Mike Stevenson said the actions of the police officers were "admirable"."The first two officers who braved the conditions, they are extremely admirable and displayed a lot of bravery getting into the surf."If they had not done what they had done I'm positive the boy may not still be with us."He said the stretch of coastline was "notorious", and was characterised by a "pretty steep drop off, thumping waves and really strong undertow".The two police officers, who became exhausted by the surf, were also helped to shore.Mr McQuoid said it showed how dangerous the beach was. "I had talked to him about that beach before and what it can be like with big waves."The boy was taken to Hawke's Bay Hospital by ambulance and later discharged.The family visited the police afterward where they saw video from a witness."The waves were just huge and the force of [them]. It smashed down and dragged back," Mr McQuoid said.Mr Stevenson said he was proud of the heroism displayed by both the first two officers plus the members of the public who helped.Fairfax NZ News