Killer waves hit like an Exocet, says survivor of Algarve beach tragedy

Dean Plumb raced into the water when he saw his son Sam struggling against deadly currents and heard the 12-year-old scream: 'Dad, the waves are taking us further out'.

He fought through waves which he said hit 'like an Exocet' to reach his son and throw him towards rescuers on surfboards, shouting: 'Help the boy! Save the boy!'

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Mr Plumb, 40, a former RAF pilot, then had to battle for his own life as he was dashed against rocks and sucked under by the raging currents.

Four other parents were not so lucky. Three of Mr Plumb's friends and a German man died trying to reach their children.

Recovering in a Portuguese hospital, Mr Plumb told how a 'perfect' half-term holiday at Praia do Tonel in Sagres turned to disaster on Monday.

In the first account by a survivor he said: 'There was a sudden commotion down on the beach. One of the children was crying and I realised something had gone very wrong.

'I ran down and saw Sam in the water. There was such a strong current, even the surfers were in the water clinging to their boards.

'I stripped off and swam towards him. I shouted "Sam, swim towards me, I will meet you half way". He shouted, "Dad, the waves are taking us further out".

'We were hit by a big aggressive wave and I knew we were in a lot of trouble.

'I reached Sam but it seemed like every five seconds or so we were hit by another large wave. They were so strong you couldn't get air, it was disorientating.'

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'We swam like mad and I could see two surfers on their boards. I hurled Sam towards them and shouted "Help the boy, save the boy".

'They were great, they grabbed him and clung on. From that point I was just in a constant fight with the rip tide.

'You can see it coming towards you like an Exocet, but you can't do anything about it, the waves just hit you and hit you.'

Mr Plumb, a British Airways crew manager from South Marston, near Swindon, said: 'I managed to climb on a big rock and I thought I would be OK.

'But another wave knocked me off and smashed me over the rocks. I went from elation to absolute despair.

'I was losing all my strength. I felt my lungs were filling with water and my legs and arms were so tired. The next I remember is people pulling me to the beach.'

Mr Plumb, who also has a six-year-old son, Harry, suffered cuts all over his body from being smashed against the rocks.

His friends Rob and Debbie Fry drowned after going to help their son and daughter.

Jean Dinsmore, 43, also died after seeing her children in the water.

All three victims came from Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire. The children all survived.