BOSTON (WHDH) -- A man was rescued from the water at Long Wharf in Boston Thursday.

Witnesses say they saw the man walk up to a railing by the water and started peeling off his clothes. They say he then crossed over the chain and dove into the water.

Two men and a woman jumped into the water to grab hold of the 54-year-old who was floating face down. They say they saw him take several strokes before struggling to keep his head above water.

A state police boat brought the drowning man to safety after witnesses jumped into Boston Harbor to save him.

Megan Blomberg -- a former lifeguard -- never needed to make a save until Thursday when she plunged into the water in the middle of the afternoon with two other men.

“He was already unconscious when we got to him. He was not looking too good. But we kept his head up,” said Ryan Mougenel, who helped rescue the drowning man. “I guess you don't think about it too, too much. You don't want to.”

Ryan Mougenel dove in just moments after he says he saw the man getting too close to the edge. 

“He was in his skivvies and jumped in,” said Mougenel.

The three rescuers say they tried to pull the man up on to a water taxi. But they couldn't manage, so they got him close to a dock and waited for the police boat.

“We were definitely in the water for probably too long,” said Mougenel.

“We just held his mouth up. He was spitting out water,” said Blomberg.

While they're relieved to be back on land, the rescuers say they knew right away someone just needed to make the leap.

“We kept his head up and waited for help to arrive and hopefully he pulled through,” Mougenel said.

The 54-year-old man was rushed to Mass. General Hospital.