VIA – ABC AU
Updated
Professional Australian surfer Kai Otton and his father, Greg, have come to the rescue of another father and son in waters off the New South Wales far south coast.
The man, 40, and his seven-year-old son became caught in a rip current while canoeing at Bithry Inlet, north-east of Bega, yesterday afternoon.
Greg Otton, who is now a retired abalone diver, spotted the pair in trouble and helped the young boy to shore.
His son, surfing champion Kai Otton, came to the aid of the young boy’s father, who had been swept 100 metres out to sea.
Greg Otton says conditions were treacherous and the pair are lucky to be alive.
“Everything ended up happy, but it was so close to a double fatality,” he said.
“It was absolutely mind-bending what they were doing in that part of the estuary.
“Total inexperience, total lack of knowledge of anything to do with rips and tides and waterways.
“The man, in his favour he was wearing a life jacket, which was probably his greatest asset.
“But he was completely beat. In the end, he couldn’t even hang on to the craft.”
Kai Otton, from Sydney, won his first ever ASP World Championship Tour event in Portugal in October last year, defeating Nat Young (USA) in the final.
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