Tourism Australia pulls promotion of Bushrangers Bay after drowning
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Tourism Australia has cancelled a campaign promoting Bushrangers Bay on Cape Schanck as a secluded swimming hole after a drowning and dramatic rescue mission at the unpatrolled beach on Wednesday.
Three women and a 13-year-old girl were washed off the rocks by a wave and were followed into the water by two heroic bystanders who stayed with them until helicopters and a police boat arrived. Aida Hamed, 45, an employee at Australia Post s Lalor office, did not survive.
With 38 drownings since July 1, the past six-month period has smashed annual drowning records, surpassing any other 12-month total in records going back to 2000, according to Life Saving Victoria. There were 34 drownings in the 12 months to June 30, 2020.
The drownings sparked a plea from the Premier and warnings from Life Saving Victoria that the long lockdown could mean people are more at risk because they are less fit and children had missed out on swimming lessons. We just ask people to to really be mindful of this, and we again thank all of those who work so hard to keep our beaches safe, but it s got to be a partnership, Mr Andrews said.
Aida Hamad was among four family members who were wiped off rocks at Bushrangers Bay near Cape Schanck, close to the peninsula s southernmost point about 3:30pm on Thursday.
Three people have died in separate tragedies on Victorian beaches, and five others were taken to hospital after the water rescues on Wednesday afternoon.