A woman and her stepson were dramatically rescued after a casual paddle at Portarlington quickly turned into a life‑threatening ordeal. The 51‑year‑old woman and 17‑year‑old boy set off on their stand‑up paddleboards from a jetty at the Portarlington caravan park around 3pm to enjoy a short Christmas Day outing.
However, things quickly turned scary after they drifted farther from the shore due to strong winds. A rescue operation was quickly launched as another family member got worried after the duo didn’t return after 5pm. The Victoria Police Air Wing, Life Saving Victoria and the Queenscliff Coast Guard quickly waved through the waters before a rescue helicopter spotted the pair, reports The Herald Sun.
According to footage shared by the Victoria Police, the pair was lying flat on their paddleboards and waving for help when emergency services spotted them.
They were not wearing lifejackets and had been swept more than 10km (6.2 miles) before being pulled from the water at Wyndham Harbour.
The family members thanked the officials for the swift action. They said: “We are so grateful for the outcome, but still trying to come to terms with how quickly a beautiful, carefree afternoon turned into an almost tragedy.
“We are exhausted, very shaken and feel so lucky we were able to stay together.
“We commend the efforts of all the agencies involved. The decisive and quick action led not only to our rescue, but our survival.”
