Cousins Kizza, 12, and Subby, 10, were on a family day trip to Blackpool in the U.K. when the tide rapidly rose and they found themselves stuck
Credit: RNLI (2)
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- Footage shared by a U.K. lifeboat charity showed the dramatic moment volunteers rescued two young boys who were moments away from drowning
- Cousins Kizza, 12, and Subby, 10, were on a family day trip to the beach town of Blackpool, in the north of England, when the tide came in and they became trapped under a pier
- Royal National Lifeboat Institution volunteers arrived on scene and rescued both boys, as well as their older cousin Ted, 21, who was seen clinging to the pier in a bid to try and help them
Dramatic footage shared by a U.K. lifeboat charity showed the moment volunteers rescued two young boys who may have been just seconds away from drowning.
Kizza, 12, and his cousin Subby, 10, had been enjoying a family day trip to Blackpool, a popular beach town in the north of England, on May 28 to celebrate the Muslim holiday Eid al-Adha.
However, the day turned dangerous when the tide came in, and the boys found themselves trapped under Blackpool Pier with waves crashing over them.
Zully, Subby’s mom and Kizza’s aunt, said in a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) news release, “The tide started to come in quickly and I could see the boys in the distance. They were stuck and the water was rising rapidly.”
Credit: RNLI
Their older cousin Ted, 21, clung to the pier and tried to reach them but to no avail, as the tide continued to rise.
“It didn’t feel real, it was like I was in some kind of helpless dream — a nightmare,” Zully said in the release.
“I could see my nephew hanging on, but I could see the fear in his eyes. I could see my boy submerged next to the poles of the pier. I scrambled along the pole and was shouting desperately to him, but I just couldn’t get to him,” she added.
Credit: RNLI
As the police rescued Zully, she shouted that the boys were still at sea. “At this point the boys had been hanging on for 40 minutes,” she said. “I could see the water going over his head and him gasping for air, but I was struggling to see if he’d come back up again.”
Credit: RNLI
An onlooker called 999, the U.K.’s emergency number, and the Coastguard requested Blackpool’s RNLI volunteers, who arrived on the scene in four minutes, per the release.
Footage from the crew members’ helmet cameras showed the crucial moment they rescued the boys. Volunteers on one lifeboat pulled them into the boat and took them to shore, where they were checked by paramedics, while a crew member then rescued Ted.
Credit: RNLI
“When I saw Subby coming in on that lifeboat and being carried away, it was like a miracle,” Zully said about the moment the boys were rescued. “I thought he’d gone. He survived because of these people who are volunteers. It was like a dream come true.”
She hailed the charity for its efforts, saying, “God bless these people who came. I can’t comprehend the fact they are just normal people with jobs and their own family, but they’d risk that to save my family.”
The family has shared its story ahead of World Drowning Prevention Day, which will be held on Saturday, July 25.
Chris Cousens, RNLI Water Safety Lead, has urged people to check the tide times, carry a fully charged cellphone or another way to call for help, and remember to float if they get into difficulty in the water.
Credit: Christopher Furlong/Getty
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The charity is encouraging people to “Find Your Float” by practising the skill in a safe, lifeguarded location.
“Tilt your head back, with your ears submerged,” Cousens said in the release. “Relax and try to breathe normally. Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat if you need to. It’s fine if your legs sink — we all float differently. By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing”
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