text: An Indian man rescued from Wellington Harbour by two brave girls teenage girls has died in New Zealand. Boobesh Palani, 26, passed away at Wellington Hospital with his friends by his side, police told the New Zealand Herald. Mr Palani’s identity was unknown at the time he was dragged from the harbour by two brave teenagers so police decided to post a picture of the him on news websites in the hopes the public could help identify him. Police released images of Mr Palani lying in his hospital bed in the hopes an appeal to the public would help identify the man . Mr Palani, a 26-year-old student from India, was known to a New Zealander travelling in Sri Lanka who saw his photo online and told the police of his name. His family and friends said they were grateful the police were able to identify Mr Palani so they had the chance to be with him in his last moments. ‘This is a tragedy but thanks to the public's help we were able to establish Mr Palani's identity which meant his friends were at his side for his final few days,’ police said. Mr Palani, who was studying in New Zealand, was rescued from shark infested waters at Burdan's Gate, Eastbourne, about 10.30pm on Monday by two teenage girls after they heard his screams for help. Without thinking, Cousins Kelly McKay, 15, and Payge Olds, 16 rushed 300m down the beach to the scene where Payge managed to undress the fastest and swim 70 metres out to sea to rescue the  man. Cousins Kelly McKay, 15 (left), and Payge Olds, 16 (right) risked their own lives on Monday night when they attempted to save a drowning man in Wellington Harbour . Mr Palani was surrounded by his family and friends during his last days after a successful appeal to the public to help name him . 'We all thought it was a prank at first because this kind of thing doesn't really happen,' Payge, from Lower Hutt in Wellington told Daily Mail Australia. The man's cries for help were also heard by a fisherman, John Derek,  who had been fishing earlier in the evening and returned as he realised that he had dropped his cell phone and went back to find it. He saw the man floating face down in the water unconscious. Mr Derek, who was unable to swim, alerted the group to the man in the water, with the hope that one of them would be a capable swimmer. 'I was the last one there and everyone else was undressed and ready to jump in the water but no one had jumped in yet because none of them are comfortable swimmers so I ended up just stripping off to my underwear and then jumping in,' Payge said. The two teenagers were helping their friend tow his car after it got stuck on the beach . The incident happened near Burdan's Gate in Eastbourne, Wellington Harbour, at 10:30pm on Monday night . Payge said she is not a confident swimmer and didn't think about the shark-infested waters when she leaped into the harbour but she knew that the man's life depended on her. 'I wasn't expecting to get that far,' she said of the distance she swam out to sea. 'At the time I didn't really think about it. I just thought you know what there's a man out there suffering, I need to get to him and help him. 'Now I'm really proud of myself and I'm happy that I was there.' Police said the man was dressed but had no identificatoin on him, The Dominion Post reported. 'Unfortunately, due to his condition, police has been unable to speak with him and he was not carrying any identification that could help us find out who he is,' Detective Sergeant Grant Corroll said, appealing for anyone who recognises him to contact police. 'Given his critical stauts, time is of the essence,' he said. Even the murky water and it's inhabitants didn't stop the courageous teenager from jumping head-first into the harbour. Payge (right) said she is not a confident swimmer and didn't think about the shark-infested waters when she leaped into the harbour but she knew that the man's life depended on her . 'There's eels and multiple other things in there,' she said. 'Sometimes we do get sharks and whales  and stingrays but I didn't really think about that. Well I did but I tried to avoid that thought.' Two men, who were sitting on the rocks on the harbours edge, shone torches on the water so Payge would be able to see where she was going. The teenager said she was terrified she would be too late and that she would lose the man in the dark. 'My worst fear was that he wasn't there any more and that I was just too late,' she said. The man's cries for help were also heard by a fisherman, John Derek, who had been fishing earlier in the evening and returned as he realised that he had dropped his cell phone and went back to find it . 'Eventually I came across him and he was kind of floating. He was sinking but he was just on the surface. 'If I has been any longer I would have completely lost him and I would not have been able to find him.' 'I got there and I couldn't lift him, he was so much bigger than me,' Payge said. Payge  began to panic and started screaming for someone to help her. After eight minutes, the group got the man back to shore and 15-year-old Kelly McKay(right) began performing CPR until paramedics arrived and took over . 17-year-old Logan Mason and a 25-year-old man swam out to Payge and assisted her in bringing the man back to shore. 'I got his feet out of the water but then I had to yell and get all the manly men to come and help me because I couldn't do it myself,' she said. After eight minutes, the group got the man back to shore and 15-year-old Kelly McKay began performing CPR until paramedics arrived and took over. 'My cousin Kelly did CPR she did so good. We're really proud of each other,' Payge said. 'I don't consider myself a hero, I just consider myself human because it's pretty much what anyone would do I thought.' Senior Sergeant Andre Kowalczyk of New Zealand Police said that the actions of the two girls is to be applauded . Senior Sergeant Andre Kowalczyk of New Zealand Police said that the actions of the two girls is to be applauded. 'They did an excellent job in very difficult circumstances and their efforts to enter the water to save this man's life were exceptional,' Sergeant Kowalczyk said.
target: Two teenage girls risked their lives trying to save a drowning man .
  Police launched an urgent appeal to help identify him .
  A man in Sri Lanka recognised Boobesh Palani and notified the authorities .
  The 26-year-old student from India died in Wellington Hospital .
  Thanks to the appeal his family and friends were with him in his final days .
  Kelly McKay and Payge Olds pulled Mr Palani from Wellington Harbour .
  Payge, 16, swam 70 metres out to the man in the pitch black .
  Kelly, 15, performed CPR on the man until paramedics arrived .