A man was forced to abandon his dead parents and swim three kilometers through shark-infested water following a traffic fishing accident.
Ryan Oostryck made the heartbreaking decision to secure his parents' bodies to their fishing boat and abandon them after their boat capsized off the coast of Australia.
Prior to swimming away, Ryan and girlfriend Anastasia had tried to resuscitate his parents, but it was to no avail, and they swam three kilometers to alert a group of campers to their predicament.
Per the Daily Star, Pilbara District Acting Superintendent Mark Flesken said: "The younger couple made it to the surface."
"Shortly afterward the couple in their 70s came to surface but unfortunately at that point in time it appeared they had passed away."
The couple then made "a fairly lengthy swim of about 3km - it took them quite a few hours."
"I'm not aware of the actual size of the waves or whether they could be classified as freak, but they were certainly strong enough to knock the boat and capsize the boat.
"At this time of the year, especially out this way, the weather is beautiful and my message to all boat users is enjoy yourself but be prepared."
According to The Oostryck family, the boat was full of safety equipment, but because it capsized suddenly, it was rendered inaccessible.
One friend, offering condolences, wrote on Facebook: "RIP together, may your days now be to look over other fishing buddies. Our deepest sympathy to Ryan and Anastasia who were also on the boat. I cannot imagine the pain you are in right now."
The Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment said that sharks are present in every part of the coastline.
The most common shark species found in Australian waters are great whites, whale sharks, zebra sharks, and tiger sharks.
