Awards for men who jumped in croc waters

Two men who jumped in to croc-infested waters in the NT to save people after a storm knocked over a houseboat have been awarded national bravery medals.

Two Northern Territory men who jumped into crocodile infested water to try to save a woman after the houseboat she was in capsized have been awarded national bravery medals.

Philip Abram, of Gunn, and Michael Jerram, of Katherine, were fishing in a small tinnie when a freak thunderstorm hit the Mary River southeast of Darwin on October 3, 2013.

One of two houseboats they'd hired with friends capsized in wind gusts, throwing multiple people into the dangerous water which has a high concentration of saltwater crocodiles.

The pair jumped in to help before realising a woman had drifted away and was lying on top of the water face down, so they grabbed her and began resuscitation.

They rushed in the tinnie to the Corroboree Billabong boat ramp 40 minutes away while Mr Jerram performed CPR to meet paramedics but unfortunately the woman, 45-year-old mother Toni Forder did not survive.

"By their actions, Mr Abram and Mr Jerram displayed considerable bravery," a commonwealth government statement said.


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Source: AAP


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