Two fishermen hospitalised after swept off rocks at Salmon Holes

Two Afghan nationals are lucky to be alive after being swept into the ocean by a rogue wave with nearby onlookers rushing to their aid and performing CPR.

The two men, along with a friend, are from Mt Barker and were fishing near Albany, Western Australia , when they were swept into the water with the force of the wave snapping their anchor lines which they had used to tether themselves to the rocks.

Their friend Sultan Raza was not swept into the ocean and told Perth Now that they were not wearing life jackets and were swept towards a nearby reef as onlookers rushed to save them. 

‘The waves was so powerful and it managed to cut their ropes. Luckily they were saved, all thanks to everyone who helped them out of the ocean,’ he said. 

A fisherman had to perform CPR on one of the men who was found floating unconscious in the water, the second man managed to remain conscious. 

The fisherman continued to administer CPR until a St John Ambulance crew were able to arrive on the scene. 

Onlookers rushed to their aid and got them form the water, one man was unconscious and a fisherman administered CPR until Ambulance crews could arrive 

The two men were transported to the Albany Health Campus with one of them in a serious condition as police spoke with witnesses 

Great Southern police district Superintendent Dom Wood described the men’s rescue and survival a ‘miracle’ in a spot where several fisherman have drowned in the past. 

With the most recent being fisherman Sam Roth who was swept off of rocks by a wave and drowned nearby, less than a month ago. 

The drownings have prompted the WA coroner to recommend the state government look into the possibility of introducing mandatory life jackets for rock fishing. 

The two men were transported to the Albany Health Campus with one of them in a serious condition.