Three teenagers from Ipswich in Queensland have been arrested after trying to use inflatable mattresses to ride floodwaters to central Brisbane more than 30 kilometres away.
Two 17-year-olds and an 18-year-old were caught jumping into the swollen Bremer River this afternoon and attempting to ride the current downstream to Southbank in Brisbane's CBD.
The teenagers entered the fast-flowing river around noon (AEST) at the entrance with Ironpot Creek on Gregory and Sydney streets.
Police received 10 triple-0 calls reporting the teenagers, who made it 15 kilometres downstream on single bed blow-up air mattresses.
After extensive police and SES patrols, the trio was found about 500 metres south of the Warrego Highway bridge.
They were rescued from the river around 2:30pm. Police later described their behaviour as "foolish and dangerous".
The teenagers, from West Ipswich and Redbank Plains, have been issued with a notice to appear in court for public nuisance.Meanwhile, a rescue helicopter was used to rescue two adults and two toddlers who were forced to cling to trees after their car washed away in floodwaters at Leyburn south-west of Toowoomba.
SES crews on the ground were unable to reach the stranded family.
Earlier, a 16-year-old girl and her 17-year-old brother were rescued at Proston north-west of Brisbane when they were swept from the flooded Stuart River bridge.
The incidents add to the growing frustration of authorities who say people continue to ignore warnings to stay out of floodwaters.
Queensland Deputy Police Commissioner Ian Stewart today issued a further warning to motorists.
"We've been putting these warnings out time and time again - don't take the risk, consider your personal safety - turn back. It's better to arrive alive than what the alternative is," he said.
"My message is very, very plain - you don't have to take the risk. A couple of hours' delay can save your life."
There has been more than 20 people rescued by swift water teams in the past few days.
This morning police charged a 28-year-old man for driving into floodwaters at Tanah Merah on Brisbane's southside.
They say the exercise tied up numerous police and rescue personnel.
The State Emergency Service has received more than 1,000 calls for help in the past 24 hours, mainly in the state's south-east.
The emergency services are justifiably P.O.'d at people who take risks in flood waters and then require rescuing. But I can appreciate the motivation of these 3. "Dudes, we should SO do this!" :-D
ReplyDeleteBut I guess it's all fun and games until someone gets sucked head first into a storm water pipe! :-(