The rescue of three French backpackers from the sea in Darwin Harbour, Australia, could result in more people buying
online travel insurance.
A woman and two male companions had set off from Cullen Bay in a dinghy to go fishing, but the tiny boat sank in rough seas and the three backpackers were left floundering in shark-infested water.
By a huge stroke of luck, the backpackers were eventually rescued by customs and helicopter personnel who had set out on a separate mission to look for an overdue research team north of the city.
Ian Badham from Careflight said: "[The search team] came across their heads in the water completely by accident. While the search for the missing vessel turned out to be a non-event the consequence of that was that three lives were certainly saved."
People planning to visit Australia always have the option of buying
gap year travel insurance.
In other news, Harry Wilder, a 19-year-old British backpacker, is unlikely to go missing as his mum is tracking every move of his Australian escapades online with a special satellite navigation device.
Downunder - try us out for the best in
gap year travel insurance.
