Brit man, 42, and teen, 17, drown in Australia after tourists are swept out to sea sparking helicopter rescue mission
TWO British tourists have drowned after being swept out to sea in a holiday horror in Australia.
A 42-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were pulled from the water in Queensland on Sunday afternoon but tragically could not be saved.
A third man, 37, from nearby town of Monto, was also dragged under but miraculously survived.
He was airlifted to Bundaberg Hospital in a critical condition with a serous head injury.
Emergency services raced to Round Hill Head in Seventeen Seventy near at 2.17pm after the trio, believed to be holidaying with family, got into trouble in the surf.
Helicopters, paramedics, and rescue teams launched a desperate search, with all three eventually retrieved from the water.
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The Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed the older man and the teenager were declared dead at the scene.
Emergency rescue service CapRescue said in an online post: “Sunday’s mission was a difficult one.
“Despite the best efforts of all involved, two people tragically lost their lives.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking incident.”
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Police said the deaths are not being treated as suspicious, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
Surf Life Saving Queensland's Darren Everard told ABC Australia: “We're not sure whether the third person jumped into the water trying to perform a rescue.”
A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told The Sun: “We are supporting the family of two British nationals who have died in Australia and are in contact with the local authorities.”
Only one beach within a 50-kilometre radius of Seventeen Seventy is patrolled by lifeguards, the reports.
According to Royal Life Saving Australia, 107 people drowned in the country last year, with one in four victims born overseas.
Most coastal drownings happen near creeks and headlands during high tide, when “it’s chaos in the water,” said Everard.
He told ABC that tourists should “seek local knowledge” and always swim between the flags.
It comes after a separate tragedy unfolded just hours earlier at Tinaroo Dam, southwest of Cairns.
There, a man in his 60s died while trying to rescue two children who were kayaking.
He jumped into the water after spotting them in distress but failed to resurface.
The children made it safely to shore.
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His body was found following a large-scale search involving water police, a rescue helicopter, swift-water crews and officers on foot.
Support services are being offered to his family, and police say a report will also be prepared for the coroner.
