What started out as a quiet family day on the beach has turned into an unexpected water rescue for visiting hero Christophe Peersman.
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The Good Samaritan was at Surf Beach on Wednesday with his family when he spotted a group of kayakers in distress offshore at about 12:30pm.
“One of their kayaks had capsized and I just started paddling towards them in my kayak,” Mr Peersman said.
“I couldn’t really see them as they were quite far out, further than I expected.
“When I arrived, there was a child and a kayak in the water.
“I took the child in my kayak to keep him out of the water.”
Mr Peersman said he attempted to paddle back to shore with the boy, believed to be eight-years-old, his mother and his uncle, but it proved too difficult to rescue the family.
“Luckily one of the lifeguards from Surf Beach saw and someone had called the police,” the Belgian visitor said.
“One of the rescuers came and took the mother on their boat. The uncle could paddle in with his own kayak.”
Mr Peersman said he paddled the young boy safely back to shore in his kayak. He said the family remained calm throughout the ordeal.
Emergency crews, which included the Westpac Lifesaver helicopter and Marine Rescue, attended the incident.
Lifeguarding Services Australia chief Stan Wall said lifeguards assessed the family on the beach but no injuries were reported.
While Mr Peersman has no plans to join Baywatch any time soon, he said the incident was “good exercise”.
Mr Peersman was visiting Australia for the wedding of his brother.
