A British grandfather died saving his grandsons who got into difficulty off the Crete coast.
The 61-year-old entered the water when the boys, seven and 10, began struggling in the waves before becoming trapped against the rocks.
Local reports say the man was able to push the boys onto the craggy shore to safety where a lifeguard and other bystanders hauled them to safety on Tuesday afternoon.
Sadly, the pensioner could not be saved and coast guard arrived to find his lifeless body in the water before taking him to shore.
He had been holidaying on the Greek island with his wife and daughter and was reportedly caring for the children when he decided to go for a swim off the coast in Gouves.
The British man had been on holiday with his wife and daughter, the children's mother, and was minding the boys when they went for a swim off the coastal village of Gouves.
Witnesses say the grandad immediately jumped into the water when he saw his grandsons in trouble, before he too was forced against the rocks, reports local paper Neakriti.
He managed to push the boys towards bystanders before losing his grasp on the rocks and falling back in to the water.
Both boys were reportedly taken to hospital and treated for shock, but are not believed to have suffered any serious injuries.
One witness told Cretapost : "We were trying to pull him out but the currents were too strong and we couldn't.
"With the help of the Coast Guard, the man's body was eventually retrieved and taken to the boat."
The Foreign Office has been contacted for a comment.
