A 46-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were declared dead after being swept into the ocean.
Two British tourists have tragically drowned after they were swept out to sea in Australia as a third person is fighting for their life.
On Sunday, the horror unfolded at a popular swimming spot known as Round Hill Head at Seventeen Seventy beach in Queensland. The two victims have been identified as a 46-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy, reports the Mirror.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and pulled the man and the boy out of the water. Sadly, they were declared dead at the scene.
Authorities said a third man is fighting for his life following the double drowning. The rescue helicopter saved the 37-year-old and transported him to Bundaberg Hospital. The Monto man is thought to be in serious condition after sustaining head injuries.
Surf Life Saving Queensland’s regional operations manager for Wide Bay and Capricornia, Darren Everard, said officials are investigating the circumstances.
He said: “We’re not sure whether the third person jumped into the water trying to perform a rescue.”
The towns of Seventeen Seventy and nearby Agnes Water are popular holiday destinations about 500 kilometres north of Brisbane, known for their pristine beaches and proximity to the southern Great Barrier Reef.
Seventeen Seventy beach is known to be a hot spot especially in the lead up to Easter. The community has been left devastated following the drowning on Sunday afternoon.
Wayne Mellock, who owns a surf shop nearby, said holidaymakers love the area because it has the “best beaches in the world”.
He told ABC Australia: “We have a very huge amount of international tourists in our town. They love our beaches because we’ve got the best beaches in the world … but unfortunately they don’t realise how quickly things can change in the ocean.”
However, the owner also warned of the dangers at the rocky coastline. He added: “Around any of our creeks and headlands … especially on a high tide when there’s a big swell, it’s chaos in the water and … sadly, that’s where we have coastal fatalities in Australia.”
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