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File photo: storm waves batter a pier in Odessa
Strong winds led to a daring rescue in Ukraine, when a small child in its stroller was blown into the sea.
The three year old’s mother jumped into the waters of the Black Sea to save her child, an eyewitness said.
But a passerby, noticing the commotion, followed her in, rescuing both mother and child.
The incident took place on Monday, when Ukraine was battered by heavy winds, which tore off roofs and uprooted trees throughout the country.
Ukrainian emergency services confirmed the pier incident, which took place near the city’s Arcadia beach, to BBC Ukraine – but because no rescue teams were dispatched, said it had no further details.
But Vasily Buscharov, from Odessa, told BBC Ukraine he was an eyewitness to the rescue. He had earlier posted footage of the buggy underwater and details of the story.
Mr Buscharov said he was on the beach when he saw movement on the pier – a man removing his clothes and jumping into the three-metre deep water.
Some 30 seconds later, he saw a woman, still dressed in her long black coat, pushed back up on to the pier. Second later, the child followed.
“They were alive and conscious, the child stood on his feet,” said Mr Buscharov. “Then a man rose up to the pier from the water.”
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The buggy, however, was not retrieved – and remained on the sea floor.
The identities of the mother, child, and rescuer are unknown.
Bad weather in Ukraine has led to the deaths of at least three people and caused widespread property damage.