Jake Murray and the rescued roo – supplied to ABC by Jake Murray
In a story too ‘Australiana’ to believe, a scuba diver and his crew rescued a kangaroo over one and a half miles out to sea.
Spotted at first by the captain in the waters of Boston Bay in the state of South Australia, it was clear that the juvenile kangaroo recognized his only hope was to get onboard the boat.
In the calm sea, the vessel’s water door allowed the crew to get right down to the level of the gently-lapping waves. It was exhausted to the point that driver Jake Murray was able to easily scoop him up.
Mr. Murry spoke with ABC News Australia about the rescue, which started when the skipper Ryan Smith spotted the animal, and which ended hours later when roo hopped away from the beach under his own strength.
“He’s like, ‘I reckon there’s a roo in the water,’ and we’re like, ‘Yeah, sure. All right, Ryan, sure,’” Murray said. “So we doubled back to check it out and yeah—it was a bloody roo in the water!”
Murray understands the animals well, as he is also a farmer, and he described how he ensured his grip was gentle yet firm when restraining Roo’s “powerful and mighty” legs. Eventually, it dosed off in his arms.
Onboard was Miguel Villarroel, a diver from Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.
“He’s like, ‘Oh, does this happen a fair bit?’ “I’m like, ‘Mate, I’ve never seen this in my life,’” Murray remembered responding.
As to how the heck Roo made his way 3 kilometers out to sea, Murray’s humor got the better of him when talking with the Australian broadcaster.
AUSSIE HUMOR: Residents Need Patience and ‘a Rake’ to Enjoy the 200 Million Migrating Crabs on Christmas Island
“He must have had a big night and one of the boys put a dare on and he’s gone for a splash and put himself into mischief!”
Kangaroos will venture close to the sea, however, and have occasionally required rescuing from the surf. In 2022, ABC News reported how a 17-year-old rookie lifeguard from New South Wales jumped into action for her first-ever rescue after a kangaroo was pushed into the sea by a powerful set of waves as it scampered along some large rocks.
She didn’t really know how to proceed, but with the rescue board she managed to keep its head above water and bring it back to the beach.
SHARE This Great Rescue Story From Down Under With Your Friends…
