Two British tourists drowned Sunday while swimming at an unguarded beach in Seventeen Seventy, a popular tourist spot at the southern end of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. A 46-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy were swept out to sea and were pronounced dead at the scene after being retrieved by a police rescue helicopter.
In a related incident, an Australian man from Monto, located about 150 kilometers inlands, was seriously injured while he attempted to rescue the drowning tourists. He is currently in a life-threatening condition in the hospital with severe head injuries.
The police have confirmed that the deceased were from the UK, but their identities have not yet been released. "Sunday's mission was a difficult one," said CapRescue, the emergency service involved in the operation, highlighting the challenges faced during the rescue attempts despite the collective efforts.
Authorities indicated that the drowning deaths occurred at a consciousness-marked beach, which lacks lifeguard services; only one patrolled beach exists within a 50-kilometre area of Seventeen Seventy. Surf Life Saving Queensland's Darren Everard suggested that the second drowning victim may have jumped in the water to attempt a rescue. Police have classified the drownings as non-suspicious and will file a report to the coroner.
Royal Life Saving Australia reported that 107 people drowned in Australia last year, with a significant fraction—25%—of those fatalities involving individuals born overseas. Most coastal drownings in Australia, according to Everard, transpire in chaotic waters around creeks and headlands during high tides, underscoring the need for tourists to seek local advice and swim in designated safe areas.
