British father and son drown after being swept out to sea in Australia
A British father and son have drowned after being swept out to sea during a family holiday in Australia.
The bodies of a 46-year-old man and 17-year-old boy, who have not been named, were discovered on Sunday afternoon in 'choppy' waters off the coast of Seventeen Seventy, a small beach town in central Queensland.
Another man, a 37-year-old local resident, was found with life-threatening injuries and airlifted to hospital for treatment. It is believed he injured his head after jumping into the ocean to help them.
Rescuers flew a helicopter around the town's rocky headlands, searching for the tourists for more than an hour in what they described as a 'difficult mission'.
Crews spotted the pair in separate locations and pulled them from the water, but they could not be revived.
The father and son had been visiting the area on holidays from Wales, local media reported.
Emergency crews were first called to reports they were in trouble near waters close to a popular camping site and walking trails at around 2pm local time.
While swimming is popular at protected beaches near to the headland, water can gush at speeds when the tide changes.
Residents said they had personally been deterred from swimming on Sunday afternoon because of strong winds, describing conditions as 'choppy and scary'.
'Sunday's mission was a difficult one,' a spokesman for the Rescue 300 helicopter said on Sunday.
'Multiple crews were tasked to the scene, including CapRescue.
'Despite the best efforts of all involved, two people tragically lost their lives.'
They added: 'Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking incident.'
Police said a report would be prepared for the coroner.
Wayne Mellock, a local surf shop owner, said the local community was devastated at the deaths.
'Situations like this are absolutely horrific,' he told ABC news. 'Our hearts go out to the families... and also the other man that was tragically hurt.'
Known for its pristine beaches and proximity to the southern Great Barrier Reef, Seventeen Seventy is a popular holiday destination, particularly in the run-up to Easter.
'We have a very huge amount of international tourists in our town,' Mr Mellock said.'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.'
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