{"id":538272,"date":"2026-03-13T18:11:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:11:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/538272\/"},"modified":"2026-03-13T18:11:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T18:11:33","slug":"teens-rescued-from-rock-in-raging-waters-reunited-with-those-who-saved-them-in-far-north-queensland-last-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/538272\/","title":{"rendered":"Teens rescued from rock in raging waters reunited with those who saved them in Far North Queensland last month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Three teenagers feared they might not survive after becoming stranded on a rock as floodwaters surged through a popular hiking spot during a dramatic wet-season emergency.<\/p>\n

Police said the group called Triple-0 about 7.30pm on February 14 after rapidly rising water trapped them on a rock in the middle of rapidly rising waters near Barron Falls, a popular waterfall near Kuranda, North Queensland<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reon Namba (16), Amber Kukulies (14) and Jacob Tait (16) had set out to explore abandoned tracks of a historic path and old hydro infrastructure deep in the rainforest near the gorge.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

A Youtube video recorded by the teens documented their trek showing just how quickly their adventure spiralled into a frightening ordeal.<\/p>\n

\"ReonReon Namba and Jacob Tait at the start of their hike. Credit: YouTube\"AmberAmber Kukulies (14) during the hike near the gorge, where she and two friends had set out to explore historic tracks before rapidly rising water left them stranded. Credit: YouTube<\/p>\n

At the start of the video, they could already hear a storm approaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlright, so we\u2019re currently hearing thunder all around us and we\u2019ve been seeing lightning strikes,\u201d Reon says.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I think we\u2019ll be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

They continued down the steep, slippery track, navigating moss-covered concrete steps and rocky slopes as rain moved through the area.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s thunder, rain and it\u2019s super wet,\u201d one of the boys said while showing the steep drop beside them.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo we\u2019re gonna see how we go with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018The water\u2019s coming up now\u2019<\/p>\n

The tone of the video soon changes.<\/p>\n

While attempting to cross a river near the abandoned hydro station site, the group suddenly notices the water level rising.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dam\u2019s opening. Come on, we gotta be quick,\u201d Reon says.<\/p>\n

Seconds later the situation worsens.<\/p>\n

\u201cHoly s**t! Wait, the other side\u2019s gonna start flooding, we gotta move,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s way more water than there was before. That\u2019s obviously flooding.\u201d<\/p>\n

The footage shows them scrambling across slick rocks as the waters grow stronger.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been like 10 seconds and the f***ing dam\u2019s much worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the torrent builds, panic begins to creep in.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey guys, we might want to start moving,\u201d one of them warned.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s about to turn into a river. You can see it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s speeding up \u2014 oh my God there\u2019s no way … we need to get back off we need to get off this island…\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BarronBarron Gorge during the teens\u2019 hike while conditions were still calm earlier in the day. Credit: YouTube\"BarronBarron Gorge later as water surged through the channel, rapidly rising around the area where the teenagers became stranded. Credit: YouTube<\/p>\n

The teens attempt to cross the rising waters, but quickly realise the current is becoming too dangerous.<\/p>\n

Jacob slips into the water, dragged away by the strong forming river. Reon jumps after him and both hold on to nearby rocks, pulling themselves back to safety.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had to hold on for our lives,\u201d Jacob says.<\/p>\n

Within minutes, the teens were stranded on a small rock island in the middle of the gorge, with raging waters surging all around them.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe water kept rising within minutes after a dam was released, catching the group by surprise. Credit: YouTube\"JacobJacob was swept under by the fast-flowing river, and Reon jumped in to pull him to safety. Credit: YouTube<\/p>\n

The group moved to higher ground, trying to stay calm and working out if there was any way back or when they would have to call for help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were looking at a line in the rock over there,\u201d one explained in the video.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe said we\u2019ll see how long it takes for the water to fully hit that.\u201d<\/p>\n

The result was alarming.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn five minutes it\u2019s going up 50 centimetres,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s not good.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it doesn\u2019t start slowing down within two metres, we\u2019re going to have to call for help because it\u2019s not worth it.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo what we\u2019re trying to look at is that spot right there.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the water hits this spot here, then we\u2019re calling Triple-0 for help because this is f***ed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s looking pretty grim\u2019<\/p>\n

With darkness approaching, the seriousness of their situation sinks in.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s looking pretty grim, I can\u2019t lie,\u201d one says. They are cut off on both sides by water.<\/p>\n

Reon recalled how quickly they came close to disaster when trying to reach higher ground and Jacob slipped into the water.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just so grateful that me and Jacob are alive right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cShe (Amber) slipped and nearly went down as well, but me and JP fully got swept down for a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not sure if I\u2019m actually going to survive,\u201d Amber is heard saying on the video.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I don\u2019t\u2026 yeah, thanks guys.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Desperate call for help<\/p>\n

The video then captures the moment they contact emergency services.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s three of us and we\u2019re stranded currently at the Barron Gorge,\u201d Reon tells the Triple-0 operator.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019m not sure what\u2019s happened, but basically we\u2019re going across the gorge and as we\u2019re in the middle\u2026 we couldn\u2019t get across.<\/p>\n

\u201cMe and my friend almost got pulled over a waterfall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe managed to get safely back in the middle, but the water\u2019s picked up and now there\u2019s tons of water flowing around us, rising fairly rapidly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rescue launched<\/p>\n

Police rushed to the scene, with several officers and two helicopters responding as the stranded group signalled their location with flashlights.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe exact position where the teens got trapped in the gorge durning daylinght (left) and Reon with the rescue chopper hovering over them at night (right). Credit: YouTube\"AmberAmber was winged to safety first. Credit: YouTube\"TheThe view from the rescue helicopter showing the steep drop to the point in the gorge where the teenagers became trapped by rapidly rising water. Credit: YouTube<\/p>\n

The Queensland<\/a> Government\u2019s Rescue 510 helicopter lifted the three teens safely from the rock island.<\/p>\n

This week, the teenagers reunited with the crew who rescued them.<\/p>\n

Senior Base Pilot Ben Lawler said the crew had been conducting winch training near Fitzroy Island when they were redirected to the emergency.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery time we get a wet season there\u2019s going to be a number of these throughout Queensland, this is reasonably common,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there\u2019s creeks and it\u2019s raining, odds are these situations can increase very quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"JacobJacob Tait (16) inside the rescue helicopter on a stretcher after being winched from the gorge during the dramatic rescue. Credit: YouTube\"ReonReon Namba (16) and Amber Kukulies (14) inside the rescue helicopter after being lifted to safety from the gorge. Credit: YouTube<\/p>\n

Aircrew officer Liam Carruthers said the outcome could easily have been far worse, while the group were keen to express their gratitude.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t even put it into words [how] grateful [we are] that they put themselves at risk just to rescue us,\u201d Amber said. \u201cWe owe them everything honestly.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Queensland braces for further flooding this week, emergency services are urging locals and visitors to take extreme caution when visiting waterfalls and gorges during the wet season, warning conditions can change within minutes.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe three teenagers reunited with the Rescue 510 crew who saved them, reflecting on night they were trapped in the gorge. Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n

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