Two British tourists have tragically drowned off the coast of Seventeen Seventy, a scenic Queensland town at the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef.
The victims—a 17-year-old boy and a 46-year-old man—were swept out to sea on Sunday while swimming at an unpatrolled beach. Despite efforts to save them, both were pronounced dead at the scene after being retrieved from the water by a police rescue helicopter.
An Australian man, also caught in the current, was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening head injuries. Authorities say he is currently in critical condition.
Emergency Response and Investigation
The tragic incident took place near Seventeen Seventy, a coastal town named after the year Captain James Cook first arrived in Australia. According to police, the beach where the men were swimming had no lifeguards on duty, and the cause of the drownings is not considered suspicious.
The identities of the deceased, confirmed to be UK nationals, have not yet been released publicly.
CapRescue, the emergency service involved in the rescue operation, described the mission as challenging:
“Sunday’s mission was a difficult one,” the service shared on social media, adding the drownings occurred “despite the best efforts of all involved.”
Police said the injured Australian man is from Monto, a rural town approximately 150 kilometres inland. It remains unclear whether he had entered the water in an attempt to assist the British pair.
“We’re not sure whether the third person jumped into the water trying to perform a rescue,” Surf Life Saving Queensland’s Darren Everard told ABC News.
Safety Concerns and Tourist Warnings
Seventeen Seventy is located in a region with limited lifeguard coverage—only one beach within a 50-kilometre radius is patrolled.
Darren Everard urged visitors to take extra precautions when visiting unfamiliar beaches:
“Seek local knowledge” and always “swim between the flags,” he advised, stressing the importance of water safety for tourists.
A report will be prepared for the coroner as part of the standard procedure.
Drowning Statistics in Australia
Australia continues to face challenges in water safety. According to Royal Life Saving Australia, 107 people drowned in the country last year. A quarter of those victims were born overseas, highlighting the added risks for international visitors unfamiliar with local conditions.
Coastal drownings frequently occur near creeks and headlands during high tide, Everard explained:
“It’s chaos in the water,” he said, pointing to the unpredictable nature of these environments.
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