8‑year-old saved in dramatic beach rescue from rogue ball
There were dramatic scenes on Ubatuba Beach in Sao Paulo when a strong wind swept away an inflatable ball with an 8-year-old boy inside. At one point, the ball hit the rocks and began to leak. Fortunately, thanks to the quick reaction of a witness, a tragedy was averted.
Horror on the beach - inflatable ball with an 8-year-old swept away by the wind. The aRede portal, reports on the dramatic moments in Brazil. According to the reports, the 8-year-old boy and his family enjoyed aqua zorbing, an activity involving getting inside an inflatable ball to walk on water.
Unfortunately, while the boy was enjoying this activity, the rope holding the ball suddenly broke. The wind caused the ball to drift away from the shore, leading to a dramatic struggle to save the child carried by the ocean.
Brazil: The wind swept away the inflatable ball with the boy. A witness reacted
Fortunately, witness Rafael Graca was in the right place at the right time. He was sailing his boat when he noticed the ball with the boy trapped inside.
I was worried about whether he was able to breathe or not because the balls can be dangerous. There is a certain amount of time that you can breathe inside it, Rafael Graca said in an interview with "The Mirror".
The ball hit the rocky shore, was punctured, and water began to enter. Fortunately, the 32-year-old witness managed to reach the 8-year-old quickly. The boy was scared but still able to breathe. Rafael had to act decisively yet cautiously, as the ball could take on more water at any moment. It couldn't be opened, but with the help of a rope, they managed to pull it in. The boy was then transported to shore, where his relieved and distraught relatives were waiting. Karoline Magalhaes from the Marine Firefighters Group emphasized that such balls should be used in swimming pools, not open waters.
This type of toy is new to us on the beaches. It comes from pool environments, and now we're starting to have some issues because this ball is easy for the wind to blow away, she stated.
Visitors are now warned that such attractions pose significant health and safety risks.
