A teenager has drowned and two other men have been hospitalised after running into trouble surfing.

The trio were surfing at Cumberland River Beach, just south of Lorne on Victoria’s Surf Coast, when one got into difficulty just before 6pm on Sunday night.

The other two tried to assist but also found themselves in difficulty.

All three managed to make it back to shore but collapsed.

An off-duty Victorian police officer and a bystander tried to help before police and Surf Life Rescue performed CPR.

The 19-year-old St Albans man died at the scene.

The second man was flown to a Melbourne hospital and believed to be in a serious condition.

The third was taken to a local hospital for treatment.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner.

-AAP