As a lifeguard at the Monte-Carlo Beach Club, Viktor Bondarchuk is always ready to swing into action. But the 27-year-old Ukrainian got the most unusual distress call of his career when he spotted an endangered hawksbill turtle being tossed around in the waves at Saadiyat beach

Enlisting the help of the club’s recreation manager and resident environmentalist Clare Patterson, the lifeguard helped save the young turtle’s life by putting it in a bucket of water and calling in experts from the Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC). The turtle – named Vik Bond in recognition of the man who rescued him – is now undergoing rehabilitation and will be released back into the sea later this year.

He is believed to be one of 300 hawksbills that hatched last summer in a protected nesting ground on part of the 9km stretch of beach outside the beach club.

A few days after the life-saving mission, a second turtle was discovered upturned on the same stretch of beach, this time by a security guard. He also called in Ms Patterson who again made sure the young hawksbill was delivered safely into the care of TDIC.

The club has now started a ‘Turtle Track’ which will log the dates and times that turtles are found over the coming months and years. Members of the kids’ club – called the Turtle Club – will be asked to name future finds.

TDIC said a total of 20 turtles have been found at various points on Saadiyat Beach so far this winter. TDIC environment manager Millie Plowman said, “This is many more than we would usually expect, perhaps because this winter has been slightly cooler than usual. Last year in the same period we had just three.”