Boy, 9, used crucial floating technique to save his life on holiday

Well done Walter

Lucy Thornton and Emma Butterworth

14:17, 11 Jul 2026

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Walter's dad said he felt 'absolutely helpless' after the boat pulled away from his son

A little water baby used the "float to live" technique to rescue himself after he was mistakenly left behind whilst snorkelling in Turkey.

Nine-year old-Walter Keeler used his rookie lifeguard skills as the current swept him and other swimmers out to sea. His horrified parents watched helplessly as the leisure boat moved away prematurely, accidentally leaving their child and about 20 other British holidaymakers, who remained 'bobbing about in the choppy water'.

For an agonising 15 minutes, his parents Elaine and Charles watched helplessly as they shouted desperately at the boat captain to turn around. However, Walter remained calm and used his training to stay safe, The Mirror reports.

Walter has been taking lessons at Stoke Mandeville Stadium since October 2020 and swims twice a week with the advanced classes. He was taught both stroke techniques and crucial lifesaving and water safety skills through the RLSS UKs Rookie Lifeguard programme.

Now aged ten, Walter, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, told the Mirror about his ordeal last August, to support our Save Lives for Sam water safety campaign.

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Nine-year-old Walter Keeler was awarded RLSS UKs Young Persons Certificate of Commendation for his brave ability to self-rescue in open water

Even though I was scared, I remembered my Rookie Lifeguards lessons, so I flipped onto my back and floated to save my energy. Id remembered dont panic. "

He explained it was the third stop of the boat trip off the coast of Kemer on the Turkish Riviera.

Walter said: It was just very scary. When we had stopped before you could also see the bottom and it was a safe spot.

But in the third one the water was choppy and it was really muddy and you couldn't see the bottom.

"The boat started moving away and I thought if they do go back to our resort, how are we going to get back? I was quite scared.

I was pretty much alone, I lost my mask. A few of the waves were quite big. I did bob under a few times.

But I remembered dont panic if you are ever in trouble and lay on your back, steady breathing as well. "

His dad, Charles, 44, recalled how they were not so calm last August and explained: We were on a boat trip, wed done two stops at two beautiful places and they were quite calm spots. My wife Elaine is not fond of the sea so I went into the water. It was fine, we were playing, Walter is a confident swimmer and so am I.

After we stopped for the third time after lunch, they put the anchor down and I told him: You go, we'll watch you from the back and I will join you in a little while. He then got into the water from the little jetty on the back.

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Walter and his dad Charlie had been swimming together and snorkelling off the coast of Turkey

Maybe 20 people went in and Walter and quite a few people had swam away from the boat. After a minute or two, he swam away from the boat, and then suddenly they started up the engine again which caused quite a lot of panic.

One of the crew went straight to the back of the boat and warned people not to get off. Then he started pulling away.

There was a point when I realised I would not be able to get there if Walter went under, so I felt sheer panic really. They had pulled quite far away. It was quite choppy. I realised I was too far to reach him if anything went wrong, I felt absolutely helpless.

Mum Elaine, 44, said: One girl, who was in her teens, was struggling with the waves and me and another lady were shouting she cant swim, she cant swim. The crew member was just giving her the thumbs up.

She went under a few times so it felt like ages but eventually one of the crew dived in and went in for her.

The couple said the crew member swam to her with a life jacket but did not throw any more in for the others in the water.

Elaine said: I panicked. I could see all the swimmers in the sea with the water coming up over them. I was watching Walter all the time and I could see the waves coming up and over him.

I had my eyes glued on him and was screaming to Charlie you need to get in, you need to get in. People were panicking.

The mum said: The waves were my biggest fear. I could see that Walter knew what he was doing but in my mind I was thinking if he went under that water, I dont know if he could get himself back up again. But he was self-saving and being a little trooper.

Walter added: When the boat came back and I got on the boat, I was definitely relieved and mummy gave me a massive hug.

"I am so grateful to all my swim teachers and my drowning prevention lessons."

Elaine added: He didnt get up first he swam up to the boat and remained treading water to let other people get out first.

His proud dad Charles added: It was brilliant to watch, after the initial panic and the boat moving away, when we could see him over the waves you could see him laying down.

Walters parents said their son had been in the water since he was six weeks of age and had years of years of swimming lessons but they were relieved he had been taught water safety.

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