Dampier drowning attempt: Five-year-old boy saved after man drives car into ocean in Western Australia
- Five-year-old boy rescued
- Man allegedly drove car into water
A five-year-old has been rescued after a man allegedly attempted to drown the young boy after driving his car into the ocean.
A Pilbara man allegedly drove a four-wheel drive into water off Dampier foreshore, in the Pilbara region in the north west of Western Australia, at 6.15am on Monday.
The man allegedly drove about 30metres from the sand before leaving the car and wading a further 70metres with the little boy.
Bystanders then allegedly saw the man force the child’s head under the water several times.
Police are investigating after a man allegedly tried to drown a five-year-old boy by driving his car into the water at the Dampier foreshore located in the Pilbara region in the north west of Western Australia (pictured)
Police arrested the man after a women’s fitness group intervened and stopped him from drowning the child
Karratha Police rushed to the scene following reports a man was allegedly trying to drown a child.
Officer in charge Senior Sergeant Paul Matthews said bystanders saw the man drive into the water at low tide before leaving the car with the young boy.
‘The tide was significantly low so he’s driven out a fair bit and then got out of the car with a small child,’ Sergeant Matthews said.
‘[He] ran toward deeper water where he tried to drown the child according to the people that called in.’
Sergeant Matthews said a women’s fitness group, who were on the beach at the time of the incident, saw what was happening and ran to intervene.
‘Some members of the public who were on the foreshore doing fitness training were able to run down, struggle with the man, and retrieve the child,’ Sergeant Matthews said.
‘I believe it was a ladies’ fitness group that intervened.’
Sergeant Matthews added the little boy was visually distressed but remained unharmed throughout the ordeal and has since been reunited with his family.
The driver, a Pilbara man, was arrested and is being assessed in hospital.
The incident is under investigation, with charges yet to be laid by police.
