A SOLDIER who battled massive waves to save two children in a double rescue on a windswept beach will be recognised for his bravery today.
Sergeant Robert Jones, from Old Colwyn, fought against a riptide to pull out a little girl in trouble just off the beach at Queens Bay on the island of Jersey in July.
The exhausted dad-of-two then risked his life for a second time to swim 400m out to sea to save a boy swept up in a raging swell.
Robert, who served with the Welsh Guards in war-torn Iraq, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, feared for his life when he dived in to help.
[...]
At 8.40pm at the popular surfing spot, the sea suddenly swelled and a ferocious riptide swept out three adults and two young children.
[...]
After struggling against the tide for 15 minutes Robert managed to drag freezing cold Abi back to the beach.
Meanwhile, a group of surfers had got into trouble trying to reach 10-year-old Tyler Ryan who was by now hundreds of metres from the shore.
Robert, who also has a son Jack, 10, strapped a surfers’ board to his ankle and swam out a second time.
He said: “I was exhausted after 15 minutes in the water. The waves by now were about 12ft. I paddled out on the board but the waves kept crashing over me. I didn’t think I was going to make it. I was scared but somehow I spotted Tyler. I got him on the board, but when I turned round we were that far out I couldn't see land.
“Every two to three seconds waves were crashing into us.”
At this point Robert thought there was no way back until they were suddenly carried towards the shore by a large wave.
“It came over us like the hand of God. Without that wave taking us I don’t think we would have made it.”
Both children were later released from hospital after being treated for hypothermia and exhaustion.
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks