Heroic rescuer saves children from drowning

Reporter Community News

Two children, and their heroic rescuer, were moments away from drowning, after being dragged out to sea in a notorious rip at Porirua's Tītahi Bay.
After recognising the children were being “sucked out”, unable to repel the rip’s overwhelming strength, Mark McAdams didn't hesitate to "strip down" to his underwear and brave the treacherous waters to save the siblings, thought to be aged around 7 and 9, on Monday afternoon.
“My mission was to save the kids, but once I got a hold of them, I knew I was in trouble as well. If two surfers weren’t close by to call over, we were gone. All three of us were gone,” McAdams said.
The Porirua City Council will discuss whether a flotation device can be installed at the north end of Tītahi Bay, following the near-drowning.
“We recognise the near-drowning at Tītahi Bay this week was not what we want to see at a beach in Porirua, and we will be talking to the right people about how it can be made safer for swimmers and other users,” a council spokesman said.