Hero boy, 7, swims for an hour to save dad and sister's lives after they were swept away

A heroic seven-year-old boy saved his dad and sister's lives by swimming for an hour to get help when they got caught in a strong current.

Chase Poust swam against the current as dad Steven and sister Abigail, four, struggled in a Florida river.

Steven said he told his two children he loved them because he didn't know what was going to happen.

TV station News4Jax reports that Abigail let go of the boat the family was spending the day in on Friday, and was swept into a strong current.

Chase tried to stay near her and Steven leapt into the water to save them - but all three ended up getting further from the boat.

Proud dad Steven said his son had saved his life on Friday (WJXT)

Chase said: "I felt really scared."

Steven told News4Jax: “I told them I loved him because I wasn’t sure what’s going to happen.

“I tried to stick with both of them. I wore myself out. She drifted away from me.”

Knowing he had to do something, Chase began swimming towards shore, taking an hour to reach dry land as he struggled against the strong current.

He said: “The current was going the opposite way of going to the boat and the shore so it was very hard to swim that way."

Chase said he was scared, but kept on going for an hour (WJXT)

He was finally able to sound the alarm when he reached the nearest house, and firefighters were dispatched to locate Steven and Abigail.

They were eventually found around a mile from the boat.

Steven said: “I screamed for help at the top of my lungs and waved my arms and sure enough someone heard us.

“Little man also made it to shore and got help and that’s what saved our lives.”