- The ex-Storm and Queensland great suffers a shocking blow
- Relative, 40, drowned in dam near Mackay, Queensland
- Police say he heroically saved a girl’s life at the time
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Billy Slater has suffered a shocking family tragedy after his brother-in-law drowned while saving his daughter’s life when she fell from their boat into a Queensland dam last weekend.
Father-of-four Ryan Craig – who is married to Slater’s older sister Sheena – died at Kinchant Dam near Mackay on Saturday when the boat he and his family were on broke down and he went into the water to save his daughter.
Slater (pictured with wife Nicole) has suffered a crushing blow with the news that his brother-in-law has drowned while performing an act of heroism in a Queensland dam
Footy legend’s relative Ryan Craig (pictured with his family) is being credited with saving his nine-year-old daughter’s life on Saturday
The nine-year-old was later pulled safely from the dam, but Craig’s body was not found until Monday morning.
Queensland Police have not released the full circumstances of what happened, but Inspector Glenn Cameron said preliminary investigations have revealed “the actions of the man who is now deceased saved his young daughter’s life”.
He added that the Craig family are ‘devastated’ by the incident.
Craig, 40, who was from North Eton near Mackay, went missing after he and his daughter fell from a wrecked boat.
The Craig family (pictured) are ‘devastated’ by their loss, Queensland Police Inspector Glenn Cameron said
Pictured: Search and rescue boats search for Craig after he went missing on Saturday at Kinchant Dam, about 35km west of the Queensland town of Mackay
She was later pulled from the water, but water police and specialist divers launched a desperate search for her father, including seven boats armed with sonar equipment, but found no trace until his body was found on Monday.
Inspector Cameron said the girl was brought to safety by a jet ski rider and was taken to Mackay Base Hospital as a precaution, according to Seven News.
Cameron added that the question of whether Craig and his daughter were wearing life jackets will be part of the police investigation.
“Our thoughts go out to the family who have lost a loved one in these tragic circumstances,” he said.
‘We never want to see anything like this happen.’
MORE ON THE WAY…