Five-year-old boy rescued on WA beach after man spotted driving car into ocean

A five-year-old boy has been rescued after a man drove his four-wheel drive into the ocean off Dampier foreshore in Western Australia.

A five-year-old boy has been rescued after a man drove his four-wheel drive into the ocean off Dampier foreshore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

The man drove approximately 30 meters into the water and then waded an additional 70 meters into the ocean with the young boy.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:15am on Monday.

Witnesses at the scene reported that the man forcibly submerged the child’s head underwater on multiple occasions.

Senior Sergeant Paul Matthews said that the man had driven into the water during low tide and left the vehicle with the young boy.

“The tide was significantly low so he’s driven out a fair bit and then got out of the car with a small child,” Sergeant Matthews said.

“[He] ran toward deeper water where he tried to drown the child according to the people that called in.”

Police said the man was able to drive a considerable distance from the shore before exiting the vehicle with the child.

A five-year-old boy has been rescued after a man drove his four-wheel drive into the ocean off Dampier foreshore in the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Eyewitnesses observed the man heading towards deeper water, where he attempted to drown the child, as per accounts received by police.

Police said a women’s fitness group was at the beach at the time and allegedly struggled with the man to save the child.

“Some members of the public who were on the foreshore doing fitness training were able to run down, struggle with the man, and retrieve the child,” Sergeant Matthews said.

“I believe it was a ladies’ fitness group that intervened.”

The boy was physically unharmed and was later reunited with his family.

The perpetrator, identified as a Pilbara man, was arrested and is currently undergoing medical assessment.

The incident is currently under investigation and no charges have been formally filed by the police.

Originally published as Five-year-old boy rescued on WA beach after man spotted driving car into ocean