A young girl was dramatically rescued after being swept far out to sea on an inflatable pool lounger.
Terrified beachgoers watched as strong winds and currents carried the child further and further from shore before she disappeared from view.
The youngster had been paddling near the beach with family members when the inflatable drifted away, sparking a frantic rescue operation.
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Coastguard crews raced to the scene and managed to reach the girl before bringing her safely back to land, as reported by Need To Know.
One witness said the child was dragged out to sea in a matter of minutes.
Dramatic footage captured the youngster bobbing helplessly on the inflatable in open water as rescuers rushed to reach her.
The girl had been at the beach with her grandmother and uncle when the incident happened.
Her parents were not in the water at the time.
The rescue took place in Didim, in Turkey’s Aydın Province, on 4 July.
Fortunately, the child was found unharmed and was brought ashore in good health.
The incident has prompted fresh warnings about the dangers of inflatable toys at the seaside.
Locals and parents urged families to take extra care, warning that strong winds can quickly carry inflatables far from shore and turn a fun day at the beach into a life-threatening emergency.
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