Holiday ends in tragedy after double drowning

A FAMILY holiday to Australia has turned to tragedy after a father and son drowned at a popular swimming spot in the Whitsundays.

The pair had been travelling from overseas with other family members when they found themselves in trouble in deep water at the Airlie Beach Lagoon late on Sunday afternoon.

The 5-year-old boy and his 30-year-old father had been cooling off in the water when disaster struck.

Authorities are unable to say exactly how the accident happened, but witnesses said the pair had been swimming near a bridge in the lagoon when it appears they found themselves in deeper water.

One woman, who chose not to be named, had been sitting next to the boy's mother on the side of the lagoon when the accident unfolded.

"They were swimming in the shallow end … the little boy started pointing to the other side of the bridge and ran over, and the older man jumped back in the water and started swimming towards (him)," she told The Courier-Mail.

Airlie Beach Lagoon was closed on Sunday afternoon following the double drowing. Picture: Georgia Simpson

The woman said she was "in shock" when the child jumped into the 2m deep water alone.

"You could see by the little boy swimming in the shallows that he didn't look like he could swim, so I'm really not sure why (the man) didn't choose to run after him … I thought the little boy would be safe because I assumed (the father) could swim," she said.

"It seriously happened so, so quick. The little boy would have jumped in right away and went straight to the bottom, he was wearing a full body suit and it took (the father) a bit to get under the bridge."

They were pulled from the water unconscious shortly before 4pm, both suffering from cardiac arrest, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman confirmed.

Paramedics attempted CPR on the father for more than 30 minutes but he could not be revived.

Both father and son were pronounced dead at Proserpine Hospital a short time later.

The boy's shocked mother was being consoled by medical staff last night.

The hot weather made for big crowds throughout the day at the popular destination as the temperature nudged 30 degrees in Airlie Beach.

There were still a large number of people in the water when the accident occurred, a Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman said.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.