A scuba diver who found himself lost at sea for more than six hours recorded his ‘final moments’ in a heartbreaking video.
Jacob Childs’ disappearance triggered a huge sea and air search operation that included boats and helicopters. The horrifying incident happened off the southeast Queensland coast near Bundaberg.
Speaking to ABC after he was finally rescued, he said: “It’s a long time to spend by yourself,” adding that even though he could hear and see the helicopters, they could not locate him.
Thinking it would be his final video, he recorded himself floating at the sea and lamented: “So that’s it. The sun goes down they won’t do nothing. That’s a wrap on old Jakey.”
After the sunset, an aircraft finally spotted Childs and he was rescued by the Water Police.
Recalling how currents and a delay in anchoring led to the terrifying ordeal, he explained that he drifted away after missing the chance to grab the boat’s tagline.
“There was no tagline out the back for me to grab on to… by the time the skipper had thrown it out I was already past it.”
Sgt. Rob Jorna, the officer in charge of the search operation, credited the 30-year-old’s level-headedness and sea experience for the successful rescue.
“He knew what to do, and his level-headedness at the time, and he didn’t panic and he did all the right things, and activated his safety equipment which alerted the air observer,” Jorna said.
Despite what happened, Childs said he would still go back to the sea.
“I’ll be in the water tomorrow probably,” he told ABC.
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