Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, Australia.Photo: Alamy Stock Photo
After spending the night drifting in the cold waters of southwestern Australia, four teenagers were found alive on an island.
The Victoria Police said on social media that the four teens “set out on two stand-up paddle boards” from Rosebud beach on Monday evening.
The group — which included two 18-year-old males, an 18-year-old female and a 19-year-old female — werecelebrating the end of their high school studies, according to 7 News. Despite not being strong swimmers, the teens set off on the inflatable boards without life jackets and lefttheir cell phones at the beach, reported local newspaperThe Age.
And after “getting caught in strong winds,” they spent the night drifting in the “cold choppy” waters of Port Phillip Bay, police said.
CNNreported they ended up drifting for 30 kilometers (about 19 miles).
Fortunately, after hours of floating with the tide, the teens ended up on Swan Island, a military training base located on the opposite side of the bay, around 2 a.m. the following morning.
“Cold and disorientated, the four found shelter in a hut,” police said.
At a press conference, police said the teens were “very lucky,” according toThe Age.
“All too often, members of the Victoria Police in these circumstances see tragedy,” remarked Acting Superintendent Terence Rowlands. “It’s an absolutely sensational, fantastic outcome for the family.”
After their rescue, the teens were taken to a local hospital in stable condition and have since been discharged, reported 7 News.
Speaking with reporters, one family member called their rescue a “huge relief,” according to CNN.
“Our kids have (been) found and we are very very happy about that,” said dad Jack Shi.
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During an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, one of the teens who got swept out to sea said their rescue “still feels like a dream.”
“I mean like if you look back, it’s really some miracle,” he told the outlet. “We were trying to get help because we knew that we couldn’t get back, so we just started calling passing boats — but no one noticed us.”
Although in the words of one officer, the teens' story was a “Christmas-time miracle,” local officials are urging people to take caution when in the water, according toThe Age.
The Victoria Police are also reminding beachgoers tostay updated on weather and water conditionsand to make sure loved ones know your plans — including where you’re headed to and when you’ll be returning.
source: people.com
