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A video gaining traction online shows a girl being carried away by the ocean currents while playing near the waterfront in Devon, the United Kingdom. She was eventually saved by a person who bravely battled the waves to reach her.
As the video starts, a group of four children is seen playing on the pier slipway. However, a forceful wave unexpectedly struck, causing the girl to lose her balance and be carried between the railings, ultimately leading her into the sea.
The North Devon Council shared the video on Twitter along with an urgent warning, urging the public to exercise caution when faced with high tide conditions.
“Sea conditions can be changeable and volatile, so please be mindful along the coast,” the council wrote.
Thankfully those involved only suffered minor injuries, which were treated by Ilfracombe RNLI.
Playing around the slipway in volatile conditions, and activities such as tombstoning can be extremely dangerous and we urge members of the public to act safely at the harbour.
— North Devon Council (@ndevoncouncil) August 8, 2023
“This incident took place at Ilfracombe Harbour on Thursday evening and could have been much more serious were it not for quick-thinking members of the public.”
The video clip captured the exact moment that happened during the high tide, just before 7pm on August 3rd.
“Thankfully, those involved only suffered minor injuries, which were treated by Ilfracombe RNLI. Playing around the slipway in volatile conditions, and activities such as tombstoning can be extremely dangerous, and we urge members of the public to act safely at the harbour,” the council urged the citizens.
Harbourmaster Georgina Carlo-Paat said: “This incident is a serious reminder of the dangers of tombstoning and other high-risk activities in the harbour. Not only were the youths lucky not to be more seriously injured, but they put their lives in danger as well as those of quick-thinking bystanders who acted when they got into trouble.
“The sea conditions were very volatile, and all of the youths had been knocked off their feet on the slipway prior to the incident, but still continued to run into surging waves. Thankfully, the RNLI were on exercise in the outer harbour at the time and were able to respond very quickly and tend to their injuries before escorting them all home.”
