A relaxing day at the beach turned into a nightmare for an Italian family after their five-year-old son was swept nearly two miles out to sea on a lilo, leaving relatives—and rescuers—terrified.
The incident unfolded off the coast of Naples, where the young boy had been playing in the water on his inflatable float. But strong winds and powerful currents quickly carried him far from shore—out of reach and into open sea.
In a desperate attempt to save him, the boy’s grandmother dove into the water, only to be swept away herself by the same unforgiving currents.
Fortunately, both the child and his grandmother were rescued in a dramatic operation carried out by the Italian Coastguard. The young boy clung to his lilo with all his strength until help arrived. A brave coastguard swam out from a boat using a flotation ring to reach the boy and bring him back to safety.
“I want to thank you for saving my son and my mum,” said the boy’s father, Gioacchino D’Angelo. “Hats off to you. Thank you so much!”
According to the Italian Coastguard, the grandmother was located and rescued roughly two miles from Castellammare di Stabia, emphasizing how quickly the situation escalated. Officials used the moment to issue a stark warning:
“We urge the utmost caution and remind the public to avoid using inflatable mattresses, flotation devices, or small dinghies in strong winds.”
Footage from the rescue shows the boy still sitting atop his lilo as the coastguard reached him. After bringing him aboard the rescue vessel, the officer even paused to take a celebratory selfie with the boy and his grandmother. To top it off, the young adventurer was invited to sit at the front of the boat—a small reward for surviving such a frightening ordeal.
“It turns out a decent lilo can actually save your life,” one rescuer remarked.
Following their rescue, both the boy and his grandmother were handed over to emergency medical personnel, and the grandfather, who had remained on the beach, also received medical assistance due to the shock. Fortunately, none of them were seriously harmed.
The incident comes just days after another child-related scare at sea, in which a young girl reportedly fell from the fourth deck of a Disney cruise ship. Her father leapt in after her, keeping her afloat until a rescue team intervened. In that case as well, quick action prevented a potential tragedy.
In both situations, luck, courage, and swift response combined to bring about a happy ending—but not without a sobering reminder of just how dangerous the sea can be.
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