‘So happy seconds earlier’: Couple saw shark victims moments before tragedy
A camping couple who were the last to see two Swiss tourists moments before they were mauled by a suspected bull shark have told how their romantic sunrise beach walk turned to tragedy in an instant.
A camper sharing the same grounds as the Swiss travellers mauled by a suspected bull shark has told how their romantic sunrise beach walk turned to tragedy in an instant.
Semi-retired diary farmer Peter Brown and his wife Lyn were probably the last people to see the couple enjoying their trip of a lifetime as they strolled along remote Kylies Beach in Crowdy Bay National Park, 300km north of Sydney.
The couple, both in their 20s, were clambering among the rocks of the remote picture perfect beach before setting up a go pro to take pictures of their planned swim with dolphins.
Mr Brown and his wife ambled past the pair at around 5.50am on Thursday when they smiled at the sight of them enjoying the ravishing views of the national park inhabited by kangaroos.
“We had gone out for our morning walk and saw them at around 5:30am looking happy among the rocks,” said Mr Brown, 68, from Wingham on the mid north coast of New South Wales.
“It’s a beautiful beach, the mist was rising and it was a perfect morning, we saw the sunrise and the couple looked like they were having a great time.
“They were on the beach enjoying their holiday, they were in the same campground as us, we saw them leave a little bit earlier than us.
“They had arrived the night before at 9:30 pm and were excited about taking a swim the next day. This beach is known for its dolphins,” he said.
“We got back to the campsite before them and I had a little snooze in the caravan and was woken up at 5:50 am to the sound of helicopters landing.”
He paused adding “It’s sad to think..... in a split second, a walk and a swim and your whole life is ruined,” he added.
Mr Brown and his wife have since laid a bouquet of flowers at the spot where they last saw the couple on the beach.
“That morning the police rolled up their tent, packed up their belongings, and took away their grey small car that they had driven into the campsite with,” Mr Brown said.
“It didn’t take them long to pack up everything.
“Yet the families of those young kids are now going to have to come to terms with the fact that their daughter has gone, and that poor young man will no doubt be traumatised and have to live the memory of what happened in a split second that morning.
“It’s so sad, they were so happy seconds earlier,” he added.
“We have a lot of sympathy for those young people from Switzerland, they were young kids enjoying travelling through Australia.
“The problem is that people get complacent with sharks, the ocean is their playground and you’re warned about swimming at dusk and dawn.
“The problem is travellers don’t always know that. It’s just so tragic…” he said.
Originally published as ‘So happy seconds earlier’: Couple saw shark victims moments before tragedy
