Mother, Five Children Rescued at Alva Beach

In what was the second high-tide, high-stakes Burdekin rescue in as many weeks, a mother and five children under the age of nine were ferried to safety on Alva Beach last Saturday after quick action from local surf lifesavers.

At around 3:30pm, a patrol team of five responded after noticing the group had become stranded on a sandbar as the tide rose rapidly. Patrol captain John Moloney said water levels climbed to over head-height within minutes.

"They went over [to the sandbar] at low tide, not understanding how quickly the tide comes back in," said Moloney. “They were only there for about five minutes, but the water rose fast enough to put them in danger.”

Lifesaver Tramayne Horan was the first to spot the risk and swam to the group, with Moloney and Tony Felisina assisting to ferry them safely back to shore.

The incident follows a similar rescue on Rita Island last week involving a mother and five children.

Moloney said that while sandbar incidents were common at Alva Beach, Saturday's situation could have been catastrophic due to the ages and swimming abilities of the people involved.

“If there hadn’t been a patrol on duty, it would have been a very different outcome,” he said.

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In what was the second high-tide, high-stakes Burdekin rescue in as many weeks, a mother and five children under the age of nine were ferried to safety on Alva Beach last Saturday after quick action from local surf lifesavers. Photo source: Queensland.com

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