British man drowns saving wife from rough seas in Australia

A British man has died trying to save his wife from drowning, after she slipped from rocks on Twilight Beach in Esperance, Western Australia.

Bernard Robinson, 54, and his wife Amanda, 51, moved from Broadstairs, Kent, to Yanchep, near Perth, in 2009.

Mrs Robinson slipped on rocks and fell into the sea when they were fishing. Her husband of 27 years tried to help her by holding out his fishing rod for her to grasp, but he also lost his footing and fell into the sea.

The Daily Mail reports that the couple trod water together for up to an hour, before Mrs Robinson managed to pull herself onto a rock. When she turned around, she saw her husband floating face down in the water. A pod of dolphins then appeared, and followed Mr Robinson's body as it was brought ashore by boat.

The Sun reports that as the couple struggled to stay afloat, Mr Robinson, a father of five, teased his wife by saying, "trust you!"

Mrs Robinson explained: "I slipped and fell. Bernard used the rod to try and pull me up, but the ocean rose and took us both in.

"We were tossed around like rag dolls, pulled down deep into the ocean only to be thrown up on to rocks.

"There was just a moment to take a breath of air. This seemed to go on forever. Then, as if by magic, the ocean became calm.

"I was able to claw my way up the rock."

Police believe that Mr Robinson was overcome by exhaustion.

Mrs Robinson told The Sun: "He gave his life in order to save mine."


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