CANBERRA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- A father and son from South Australia have been awarded for bravery after they saved their daughter and sister from a great white shark.
Sarah Williams, then 15, was fishing for squid off the South Australian coast in October 2017 when the 4.5 meter shark knocked her out of her kayak.
She flew into the water where the shark began to circling her.
Her father, Chris, and her brother, Mitchell, were 100 meters away in an aluminium boat when the shark attacked and were able to motor towards Sarah and pull her from the water just in time.
On Sunday night they were among 74 people to receive bravery awards from the Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley.
Reflecting on the incident, Mitchell Williams told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that it was instinct rather than bravery that drove him to save his daughter.
"I think it was just the best possible outcome for the worst possible situation," he said.
"I'm not sure if I'd call it brave.
"I'd like to think if anyone saw their brother or sister or anyone in that sort of danger they would rise to the occasion to help them out.
"I was just sort of given the opportunity to do it."
Shark sightings are common in South Australia's Golf St Vincent between October and December but are rare throughout the rest of the year.
Despite the close encounter Sarah Williams has since returned to the ocean while her father and brother have been reluctant to do so.
"I don't think I'll ever take a kayak in the ocean again after seeing what I saw," Mitchell said.
"I've gone fishing with my dad a few days since, but we haven't returned to the water the same way we used to go in before the event."
