Dramatic footage captures the moment two young boys were saved from drowning after a "miracle" rescue at the British seaside. The cousins, aged 10 and 12, were plucked out of the sea by RNLI heroes in Blackpool, Lancashire.
The children were seconds from death after getting into difficulty near a pier. RNLI volunteers leapt into action and rescued the boys from the waves, just as the youngest was dragged under the water. He was left "gasping for air" while his cousin clung desperately to the pier.
Mother's desperate plea
A terrified mum told how she watched the "nightmare" unfold and pleaded with her 10-year-old son to stay alive: "I knew he’d cling on if he could hear my voice telling him not to let go, but by now the water was rising fast and I could see him going under."
The limp body of 10-year-old Subby was dragged into their boat with his arm bleeding from his attempts to hold onto the pier. In shocking footage, he initially slips from their grasp falling back into the sea until they grab him again. They then went at high speed to rescue his 12-year-old cousin Kizza.
The boys were taken to the beach to waiting paramedics while a second lifeboat team went back for an older relative, who had gone into the sea to help them. He had been left clinging onto the pier but higher up.
Mother to meet rescuers
This week, the boy’s mum will return to Blackpool to meet the RNLI rescuers who saved her son and nephew from drowning and has agreed to share their traumatic story ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25.
Zully, from Leeds, had decided to share their traumatic experience on May 28 during a trip to Blackpool, to warn others of the dangers of the sea and she is backing The Mirror’s Save Lives for Sam water safety campaign.
The terrified mum-of-four told how she tried to wade out to the boys but feared the worst as she watched Subby’s head disappear beneath the water. Her nephew Ted, 21, a carer from Bradford, also tried to reach the boys.
RNLI praised for saving lives
A 999 call was made by a member of the public, and the Coastguard requested the launch of Blackpool RNLI lifeboat. The volunteer crew were paged for the 11th time in seven days. The D-class inshore lifeboat was on scene within four minutes.
Zully said: "I was shouting at the top of my voice - we need the orange boat. At this point the boys had been hanging on for 40 minutes. I could see the water going over his head and him gasping for air, but I was struggling to see if he’d come back up again."
The lifeboat crew immediately located Subby and Kizza and manoeuvred alongside the pier stanchions so the crew could pull the children to safety. With Ted higher up the pier supports, and a second crew on scene, the original crew made the decision to deliver the children to paramedics waiting on the shoreline.
Zully, who was not aware of the RNLI charity before the dramatic rescue, said she is really looking forward to meeting her family’s rescuers: "God bless these people who came. I can’t comprehend the fact they are just normal people with jobs and their own family, but they’d risk that to save my family."
'The sea can be evil'
Zully had travelled to Blackpool during the May half term with her sister, sister-in-law, and her son Ted, along with their children to celebrate Eid al-Adha. They had checked the tide online ahead of their impromptu trip, but tide times and heights vary throughout the month and the incoming tide can easily leave people stranded.
Zully continued: "When I saw Subby coming in on that lifeboat and being carried away, it was like a miracle. I thought he’d gone. He survived because of these people who are volunteers. It was like a dream come true."
Zully added: "The sea can be evil, it doesn’t care who you are, it just takes you. I keep my son so close now, it’s shaken us all. This happened to the people I love and it could so easily happen to other families too."
'Remember to float if you're in difficulty'
Chris Cousens, RNLI Water Safety Lead said: "We are incredibly grateful to Zully and her family for their courage in speaking up about their experience to ensure others are mindful of the risks. Nobody visits the coast expecting to get into difficulty. We’re urging families to check the tide times before you go."
"Always carry a means of calling for help, like a fully charged mobile phone. If you do get into difficulty, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Instinctively, most people who find themselves struggling in the water will begin to panic, swim, or thrash about. We’re urging people to ignore this instinct and remember to float: Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged. Relax and try to breathe normally."
