Two British tourists tragically drowned while swimming off the coast of Seventeen Seventy, a well-known tourist spot at the Great Barrier Reef. The young boy, aged 17, and the man, aged 46, were swept out to sea during their swim on Sunday. They were declared dead at the scene after rescue efforts involving a police helicopter.
An Australian man, who attempted to assist them, also got caught in the dangerous waters and is currently in critical condition with severe head injuries. He has been flown to the hospital for emergency treatment. We don’t yet know if he dove in to help the two swimmers.
The town of Seventeen Seventy, named for Captain James Cook's arrival in Australia, has only one lifeguard-patrolled beach within a 50-kilometer range. Local officials stress the importance of swimming in safe areas and heeding local advice, especially after last year saw 107 drowning incidents in Australia, with a notable percentage of victims being international visitors. Police are treating the drownings as non-suspicious and will file a report for the coroner.
