The Northern Territory Police Force has rescued a man from floodwaters after he attempted to cross a flooded bridge near Beswick on Monday.
At approximately 2:50pm, police observed a 45-year-old man walking towards a flooded bridge on the Waterhouse River from the Barunga side.
The man entered the flooded Dook Creek area in an attempt to access the bridge leading to Beswick Community.
Officers on the Beswick side of the bridge observed the risky behaviour rand verbally directed the man not to enter the floodwaters. However, he ignored police directions, removed his footwear and proceeded onto the flooded bridge.
When he reached approximately halfway across the bridge, which was covered by floodwaters estimated to be 1.2 metres above road level at the time, he began to struggle against the current. He was swept downstream by fast moving water before being carried into a clump of trees, where he managed to hold on while awaiting assistance.
Police launched a vessel and safely retrieved the man from the water.
Sergeant Scott Lewis, one of the two officers who put his own safety at risk to rescue the man, expressed frustration at having to repeat the same warnings about the dangers of entering floodwaters.
"Our officers continue to risk their own safety to rescue people who ignore repeated warnings not to enter floodwaters," he said.
"The last thing we want in these situations is for someone to lose their life as a result of poor judgement.
"We need people to remember that if it's flooded, forget it."
