A 4-year-old and her inflatable unicorn went on a little adventure last week Monday in the sea area off the town of Antirrio in the Gulf of Corith.
According to reports, the little girl was playing in the water with her unicorn when a strong current swept her out to sea. Her parents took their eyes off her for a second and when they looked again, she was nowhere to be found. They immediately contacted port authorities who alerted the captain of a local ferry to look out for the little girl.
Captain Grigoris Karnesis told Greek City Times that he didn’t expect the child to be so small. He said she was frozen from her fear because the current was very strong. She was more than 500 metres from the shore.
Luckily the rescue mission went well and the captain managed to safely get the little girl on the ferry. “She was very scared. She did not speak at all, but cried perhaps out of despair, when she saw the big ship approaching her,” he said.
Watch the video of the rescue below:
Water safety
Kids are extremely busy and can slip out of your vision in under a couple of seconds. Summer is around the corner and whether you’ll be spending time at the pool, the beach, a dam or any other form of water, it’s always important to keep a close eye on your little ones and never leave them unattended in the water. The ocean can be very unpredictable and toddlers aren’t strong enough to fight against the strong currents should they get swept away.
ALSO SEE: Swimming safety tips for kids
The Western Cape Government has these tips for families to stay safe at the beach this summer:
- Only swim where there are lifeguards on duty.
- Only swim where there are signs that say it’s safe to do so.
- Make sure you stay between the flags and that the lifeguards can see you.
- Don’t swim outside of the red and yellow flags, or where other people aren’t present. There could be dangerous currents and tides you’re not aware of.
- Teach your child to raise their arms if they’re in trouble to get the lifeguard’s attention.
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