A great-grandmother who was swept into the sea during a walk on the beach remembers her terror at being “seconds from death.”
Julia Wilkins, from Llanaber, Wales, was on her way to see her parents’ grave when she walked along the shore for a moment of quiet and privacy.
However, when the tide came in, Julia was trapped in the waves. She managed to find a rock for support and desperately clung to it in an attempt to save her own life.
But the water was rising rapidly and eventually passed over her head, causing the pensioner to fall off the ground.
Speaking about the horrific experience on Coast Guard Channel 5, the 85-year-old recalled praying for a miracle when she was just seconds away from being swept out to sea, but at the last second managed to pull out her phone and call for help. .
Julia Wilkins, 85, was on her way to see her parents’ grave when she took a walk along the coast in search of peace and privacy, but it turned out to be one of the most terrifying experiences of her life.
The series shows coast guard personnel coming to Julia’s aid after she became trapped on rocks.
Julia spoke about her experience on the program and said that she was ‘seconds’ from death
Speaking to Channel 5 ahead of her new series Coastguard, Julia said: “Then I knew that the next [wave]They would take me.”
In a last desperate attempt, he called 999 and alerted Barmouth Coastguard to his situation.
In the episode, the heartbreaking call Julia made to the coast guard in her time of need was played and she was heard saying: “It’s serious.” The waves hit me, I’m on the rocks, they’re going to drown me, I’m soaked.
‘In a minute the phone won’t work because the water is splashing on my face and…’
Then the frantic phone call was cut off and his device lost signal.
This is one of the most serious calls HM Coastguard can receive and as a result two MCA boats and a rescue helicopter were immediately dispatched to find Julia.
Staff spent 20 minutes searching for the great-grandmother, who was nowhere to be seen, and began to assume the worst had happened.
But then the helicopter camera saw her clinging to the rocks. She was then taken to safety to the helicopter. She suffered hypothermia and was then rushed to the hospital for medical assistance.
Speaking of her terrifying experience, Julia said: ‘I started praying not to drown and before [the waves] These wonderful men arrived by helicopter and took me away. I couldn’t believe it, a miracle.’
When asked how close she was to dying, Julia said, “The closest I’ve ever been.” It was a matter of seconds, literally seconds.
‘I still can’t understand why they went to so much trouble to save an old lady like me.
‘I am back with my family and I have had new grandchildren and great-grandchildren. [The coastguard] He has given me life.’
Julia’s son John spoke about his ‘legendary’ mother and said he also received a distressing voicemail from her on his phone.
Julia is filmed being carried to safety onto the helicopter from the rocks after coastguard staff acted quickly to save her life.
The camera of one of the helicopters was able to capture it and the staff acted quickly to remove it from the rocks.
Her son, John Wilkins, said he received a distressing voicemail from his mother as the waves dragged her out to sea.
John said through tears: “I got a voicemail from my mother saying, ‘Can you call me?’ It’s urgent.” She sounded completely desperate, it’s the first time I’ve heard my mother talk like that.
‘I knew from the sound of his voice that he was in mortal danger and that must be the worst thing I have ever heard.
‘My mom is legendary. I want to express my gratitude and appreciation to everyone involved in my mother’s rescue. “I am extremely grateful to those people.”
Julia was nicknamed ‘egg granny’ because she was found still clinging to her bag with a carton of eggs inside when she was rescued.
Surprisingly, none of the eggs ruptured in the operation, and her son joked: “I think she seemed happier to see the eggs than to see me.”
- Coastguard: SOS Search and Rescue, following the people behind the Maritime and Coastguard Agency returns on April 28 to Channel 5