Deadly swell catches kids in horrifying footage

  • 01/05/2018

This is the moment giant ocean swell smashed three children off rocks in Western Australia, forcing them into a battle for their lives.

It was Saturday, and the swell was over five metres tall when the children ventured out too close to the sea. Then disaster struck.

Footage provided to 7 News shows a monster wave catching the kids by surprise. It slams into them, covering them in a tidal wave of water.

As they desperately scramble for safety another huge wave hits, bowling them over and causing one to slip down between the rocks into the sea.

The children are believed to have managed to pull themselves to safety without serious injury.               

They weren't the only ones to dice with death. Two fishermen were also washed off rocks on Saturday. One man was critically injured as a result.

"What we've seen in the course of the last 15, 16 years is 34 people die from coming off the rocks while fishing," Western Australia's Premier Mark McGowan told 7 News.

"That's almost double the number of people killed by sharks."

Mr McGowan wants a compulsory life jackets scheme to be trialled at Western Australia's most dangerous fishing spots.

Newshub.