Evie Knight's survival tale

Evie Knight and police officer Liam Cook after a dramatic rescue near Port Campbell

Transcript

00:00Three freak waves came and washed me into the sea,

00:05tumbled around massive rocks, blacking in and out, etc.

00:09Made the decision to swim out to sea.

00:12Found a small buoy that saved my life.

00:14Here we are at the Port Campbell Pier with Port Campbell Acting Sergeant Liam Cook.

00:19Cookie, what happened last weekend?

00:21So, on Saturday the unforeseen was arrested.

00:24It was conducted down at Ryan's Den near Wattle Hill along the Great Ocean Road.

00:29An 18-year-old female was with family and friends.

00:32She was doing some rock climbing down along the shore of Ryan's Den.

00:38Unfortunately, at the time, the individual was with another male.

00:44A large wave has broken on the male and female.

00:47Both have been swept into the water.

00:49Luckily enough, the male managed to escape the ocean and climb back to safety.

00:53The female was swept out to sea.

00:56She was a competent swimmer, which worked in her favour on this particular occasion.

01:01She managed to swim out behind the swell break and find a crayfish pot,

01:08which she managed to cling to the buoy of

01:11and remained there for a period of time, for about 60 minutes,

01:14until Hemsworth Mornal was dispatched and winched her to safety.

01:18The concerns around the ocean, especially this time of year leading into summer,

01:22it's very unpredictable.

01:23Never turn your back on the water.

01:25My message to everyone that's visiting our beautiful coastline

01:29is to swim at approved beaches, for example,

01:32Apollo Bay, Port Campbell and Warrnambool, where there's lifeguards on duty.

01:36Never turn your back against the swell and never swim alone.

01:41It's another great message that we need to get across.

01:44Thanks for your help, Cookie.

01:46No worries.