A man has died and another two are fighting for life after being pulled unconscious from the water at a beach off Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

The trio, who are yet to be formally identified, were swimming in the ocean at Marengo near Apollo Bay when they got into trouble on Sunday afternoon, police said.

A woman who was passing by was able to bring the men to shore one by one as others on the beach attempted resuscitation.

One couldn’t be saved and was declared dead at the scene, while the other two were flown to hospital in a critical condition.

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One of the men was taken to Barwon Health in Geelong, where he is now in a stable condition.

The other man was taken to the Alfred Hospital, where he remains in a serious condition.

A report will prepared for the coroner by police.

Four people died at an unpatrolled beach on Victoria’s Phillip Island in January, in what was the state’s most deadly drowning event in about two decades.

There were 55 coastal drownings across the country this summer, with 19 of those taking place in Victoria.

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-AAP