‘Thank you for saving son in sea’
A MUM has told how strangers jumped into the water to save her young son after he fell out of a pedal boat in Greece.
Ali Webb, from Platt Bridge in Wigan, had been sat next to five-year-old Jonathan when he somehow fell overboard.
Immediately, the 26-year-old threw herself into the sea after him. She managed to grab his head and pull him above water, but his foot was trapped in the ladder of the boat.
Despite being a strong swimmer, Ali struggled to free him, and began desperately screaming for help.
“People began running into the sea,” she said.
“I managed to get his head above water, but the waves kept getting in his mouth. I couldn’t free him. I’m a strong swimmer, but the only way to free him would have been to let go and risk him sinking. It was terrifying.”
Ali says they had been on a coach trip to Paleokastritsa and had stopped off at the beach. The water was crystal clear and she and Jonathan decided to take a pedal boat a few metres out so he could see the fish.
“I took my eyes of him for a second and the next thing I heard a huge splash and he was gone,” she continued.
“I couldn’t see him anywhere, then I saw his shoe and managed to get hold of him. We weren’t that far out, I thought it was a lot shallower, I started screaming, I have no idea how long for, but then two men swam over to us, they managed to free Jonathan’s leg and then helped push him back onto the boat.”
The mother and son were taken back to the beach and given first aid.
“People came over with drinks and towels and all sorts,” Ali added.
“Jonathan seemed okay, but we wanted to get him checked out and were told that it would be quicker to go back on the coach to the medical centre than wait for an ambulance because of where we were.
“The staff were amazing, the doctors came straight away and transferred us to another clinic. He had a chest x-ray and was given oxygen. We then went back the next day and he was given antibiotics in case he swallowed water.”
Ali says her son’s frightening ordeal has not put him off swimming.
“He’s fine, he’s been back in the sea, back in the pool,” she added.
Ali is now hoping to get a message to Jonathan’s saviours and the people on the beach to thank them for everything.
“I cant remember if I said it at the time because I was so panicked.
“I have no idea who they were or where they were from, but I am eternally grateful and I just want to get that message to them somehow.”