Arabic version: غرايستاون تحيي ذكرى مرور 30 عاماً على انهيار جرف أودى بحياة تسعة أشخاص

According to ABC News, Gracetown has marked 30 years since a coastal cliff collapse at Huzza’s Beach killed five adults and four children. The disaster occurred on September 27, 1996, when students, teachers and parents were gathered for an inter-school surfing competition in the Western Australian town, 271 kilometres south of Perth. Inclement weather had led people to shelter beneath cliffs that suddenly gave way.

Stephen Duggan said he and friend John rushed from his family farm to the beach and searched for survivors for hours with their bare hands. Mr Duggan was among those who found the sole survivor, then-11-year-old Sara Otto, beneath the rubble. He said a rock may have protected her face from sand after falling and hitting her head.

Mr Duggan also recalled community members taking major risks to bring machinery to the site during the rescue. He described one man driving a backhoe through salt water, rocks and reef, while another took an excavator down a steep embankment with an extended boom. He said such actions were encouraging and strong, but would be considered dangerous today.

Skye Thompson, whose father Lindsay was killed, was 12 and competing at the event when the collapse happened. She said she retained memories of feeling loved by her father and that she and others try to be in or near the water on the anniversary. The Gracetown Grommets surfing competition, created in honour of those who died, held its 30th competition this year. Cowaramup Bay Boardriders Association president Ian Andreson said grandchildren of people killed in the collapse had competed, continuing a family connection to surfing.