Mom Jumps In To Save 12-Year-Old Girl Trapped Under Sailboat During Lipton Cup Regatta
QUINCY (CBS) -- It was a beautiful day on Quincy Bay as dozens of young sailors took part in the Lipton Cup Regatta Sunday. But for a moment, things got a little scary for one sailor: "I just wasn't expecting to end up under the boat. So that part was scary," explained 12-year-old Ava Jones.
Ava loves the water and took part in the two-day Lipton Cup Regatta. On Sunday, the winds picked up and, during the race, her boat flipped over and ended up on top of her.
"When I was underneath the boat. I didn't really have any air. I was yelling to catch someone's attention," Ava said.
Several chase boats immediately responded, but observer Dorothy Chase of Weymouth was the closest. "So when the boat flipped and it turtled over we immediately went as fast as we could to the boat because we couldn't see the sailor underneath. So we knew she was most likely underneath the boat," Chase said.
Chase, whose two daughters were also in the race, said when she got to Ava's boat she did not waste a second.
"I jumped in the water and dove underneath first to make sure she was conscience and then a dove a second time and pulled her out of the boat. I could see from the look on her face she was in complete shock," Chase said. Other boats then came to assist.
Ava admitted she was shaken up. "I'd just like to say thank you because it was very kind of her to help me in that scary experience."
Ava said she will not let this frightening situation scare her from doing what she loves to do. On Monday, one day after the incident, she got right back in this waster and sailed again.
"I enjoy sailing and think it's fun and I don't want to be left out of it just because of something I can fix anytime it happens again," Ava said.
Chase is just grateful everything worked out safely. "I don't think I'm a hero but just at the right place at the right time," she said.
