Rock fisher urging other migrants to prioritise safety after nearly losing life

The Egyptian expat grew up around water and fishing before moving to Australia, but that didn’t mean he was equipped to deal with the unique and sometimes treacherous ocean conditions in his new homeland.
His story was featured in the Multicultural Drowning Prevention Short Film Launch, hosted by Surf Life Saving NSW, at Canterbury League Club which showcased five personal stories from diverse cultural communities, to share personal and common experiences of the beach and water with others within their own communities.
Amr spoke about his traumatic experience when he was fishing with a few friends and a “big wave” knocked him over and smashed him into rocks.
“I went fishing with my friends, we didn’t have much planning,” he said.
“I caught a fish and I wanted to talk about it with my friends. I turned around, and that was my mistake.”
A big wave knocked him over and threw him about six to eight metres onto the rocks.
“I was lucky that day I didn’t lose my life,” he said.
It was a tough lesson to learn but now he’s sharing his story for the benefit of the many other rock fishers.
“Back home we didn’t really think much about safety, so we didn’t have life jackets,” he said.
“Here, you need to be more careful, do your homework, read the waves, the swell, don’t go alone, and also go at the right time, during the day, wearing a life jacket.
“It will save your life.”
Statistics show that 41 per cent of overseas-born residents are “poor swimmers” and there is an average of 17 rock-fishing deaths every year in Australia.
Learn more about water safety at beachsafetyhub.org.au.