Dampier drowning attempt: Five-year-old boy rescued after man drives car into sea in Western Australia

A five-year-old was rescued after a man allegedly tried to drown the boy after he drove his car into the sea.

The little boy was rescued after the vehicle ran into water on the Dampier shore in the Pilbara region of northwest Western Australia at 6.15am on Monday.

Karratha Police rushed to the scene after a man reportedly tried to drown a child.

Police are investigating after a man allegedly tried to drown a five-year-old boy by driving his car into water on the Dampier foreshore in the Pilbara region of northwest Western Australia (pictured).

Police arrested the man after a women’s fitness group intervened and stopped him from drowning the child

The officer in charge, First Sergeant Paul Matthews, said bystanders saw the man drive into the water at low tide before exiting the car and running into deeper water with the boy.

“The tide was very low so he drove quite a way out and then got out of the car with a small child,” Sergeant Matthews said.

‘[He] ran toward deeper water where, according to callers, he attempted to drown the child.’

Sergeant Matthews said a women’s fitness group who were on the beach at the time of the incident saw what was happening and ran to intervene.

“Some members of the public who were exercising on the shore were able to run down and fight the man and retrieve the child,” Sergeant Matthews said.

“I think it was a women’s fitness group that intervened.”

Sergeant Matthews added that the little boy suffered from impaired vision but was unharmed throughout the ordeal and has since been reunited with his family.

The driver, a Pilbara man, was arrested and is being examined at the hospital.

The incident is being investigated and the police have not yet filed any charges.