A husband and wife have made the ultimate sacrifice, drowning while trying to save their daughter in rough waters at a holiday hotspot in southern Western Australia.

A third person who tried in vain to save Perth couple Dr Mohamed Swapan and his wife, Sabrina Ahmed, is tonight recovering in hospital. 

The loving family of four’s Christmas holiday with friends turned deadly at Conspicuous Beach, near Walpole, yesterday afternoon.

Authorities were called to the area, about 200 kilometres south-east of Margaret River, when three people got caught in a rip about 2:40pm (5:40pm AEDT).

“Those girls. Oh, my God, you know. I feel, you know, sorry,” friend and colleague Ruhul Salim said.

Swapan, 44, and Ahmed, 40 traded their lives to save their youngest daughter, who got into trouble in the water.

A third man, 42, jumped in to save his friends. He survived but the parents couldn’t be revived. 

“All three basically drowned in the water. Then the other people and the community over there, nearby people, they came over and pull out all three,” Salim said.

The girls were headed back to Perth where it was hoped they would continue to live in WA with their maternal uncle. 

Their parents were respected members of Perth’s Bangladeshi community.

“The community will seriously miss this couple,” Salim said.

“There has been a huge, you know, the tribute and condolences, since, you know, yesterday.”