Boys rescue jet skiers
Published: January 11, 2006
TWO boys are being hailed as heroes after they rescued two men from the sea on the Mornington Peninsula last night.
Ben Eliya, 14, from Sydney, swam more than 150m from shore to help rescue two men in their 20s who were stranded when their jet ski broke down at Tootgarook after 6pm.
The men were in the water for 2 1/2 hours before the boys saw them about 8pm. While Ben was helping rescue the men his cousin, Liam Payne, 12, of Diamond Creek, ran to his mother Desiree, who called 000.
Liam then ran in and out of the water to give his mother updates to pass to the emergency services.
One of the men had been too weakened to help the other man to shore but was able to swim alone, while Ben helped the other man to safety, police said.
Three other children also helped the men when they reached the beach.
Liam’s sister Gemma Payne, 9, and her friends Daniel Gilbert, 12, and Holly Gilbert, 9, ran to get blankets to keep the men warm as they waited on the beach for the ambulance.
One of the men was suffering severe hypothermia and was taken to the Frankston hospital. The other man was taken to Rosebud hospital, also with hypothermia.
Desiree Payne said she was proud of the children.
“I said to all the kids, `You’ve done a great job: you thought, you were calm and you worked as a team’,” she said.
“Between the five kids they just did a brilliant job.”
Police commended the youngsters.
“The two young boys were level-headed, quick thinking and we no doubt praise their tremendous efforts,” Sen-Constable Wayne Wilson said.
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