Belangalo
11-20-2008, 04:39 AM
Article By Evelyn Yamine dailytelegraph.com.au 19 November 2008
Two young boy's drowned with their father last night after their pram plunged off a wharf and he dived in to save them.
The man was fishing off Tathra Wharf on the South Coast about 8:15pm with one boy in the pram the other holding onto it , when the children tumbled into the water.
The panicked father dived in to save his sons believed to be aged between three and five while another man fishing nearby jumped into the water to help.
Tathra Surfing Life Saving Club volunteer Dennis Wheatley told the Daily Telegraph the young family were believed to be visiting the area. "The pram tipped off the wharf and the father went in after them to try to save them , ''Mr Wheatley said. ''The stroller toppled with the toddler holding onto it.
The alarm was raised by the second mans girlfriend , surf life savers , police and paramedics pulled all four unconscious from the water. Two life savers dived off the wharf and managed to pull the children out , while the father was rescued by life savers in a rubber boat.
But the father whose age is unknown , could not be resusciated afetr repeated attempts at CPR and was pronounced dead at the scene , a police spokesman said.
His sons were taken by ambulance to Bega Hospital in a critical condition but were pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The other man who was also holidaying in the area , was revived by ambulance officers before being taken to hospital.
Mr Wheatley who helped treat the second fisherman at the surf club before paramedics arrived , siad he suffered cuts and bruises and was stung by blue bottles.
''He's fine , in shock. he was in the water for a while . It's freezing and he came across all these waves ,'' Mr Wheatley said.
The wharf has railings on both sides but not at the front , where it is believed the young father was sitting with his children.
This afternoon police have released the names of the deceased.
Shane O'Neill 28
Riley O'Neill 4
Travis O'Neill 15 months
Two young boy's drowned with their father last night after their pram plunged off a wharf and he dived in to save them.
The man was fishing off Tathra Wharf on the South Coast about 8:15pm with one boy in the pram the other holding onto it , when the children tumbled into the water.
The panicked father dived in to save his sons believed to be aged between three and five while another man fishing nearby jumped into the water to help.
Tathra Surfing Life Saving Club volunteer Dennis Wheatley told the Daily Telegraph the young family were believed to be visiting the area. "The pram tipped off the wharf and the father went in after them to try to save them , ''Mr Wheatley said. ''The stroller toppled with the toddler holding onto it.
The alarm was raised by the second mans girlfriend , surf life savers , police and paramedics pulled all four unconscious from the water. Two life savers dived off the wharf and managed to pull the children out , while the father was rescued by life savers in a rubber boat.
But the father whose age is unknown , could not be resusciated afetr repeated attempts at CPR and was pronounced dead at the scene , a police spokesman said.
His sons were taken by ambulance to Bega Hospital in a critical condition but were pronounced dead shortly after arrival. The other man who was also holidaying in the area , was revived by ambulance officers before being taken to hospital.
Mr Wheatley who helped treat the second fisherman at the surf club before paramedics arrived , siad he suffered cuts and bruises and was stung by blue bottles.
''He's fine , in shock. he was in the water for a while . It's freezing and he came across all these waves ,'' Mr Wheatley said.
The wharf has railings on both sides but not at the front , where it is believed the young father was sitting with his children.
This afternoon police have released the names of the deceased.
Shane O'Neill 28
Riley O'Neill 4
Travis O'Neill 15 months