Giant inflatable duck found after disappearing at sea in Australia

Image courtesy: AFP

New Delhi: A massive inflatable duck that went missing at sea off Western Australia earlier this week, turned up once again near Rottnest Island, a nature preserve just off Perth's shore.

Named Daphne, the duck was supposed to be the star attraction an annual ocean swimming competition organized by the Cockburn Masters Swimming Club, but strong winds pulled her from her post and into the Indian Ocean.

She was last spotted at Coogee Beach in Perth on March 11, just before the swimming competition took place and was found by Tony Gibb, a local fisherman, just hours after being swept away.

After she went missing, the swimming event's organizers asked for leads on their official Facebook page and offered swim passes and souvenirs as rewards for her safe return.

To their relief, Daphne was reported on Sunday. According to the BBC, Gibb discovered the wayward mascot only an hour after she went missing.

He tied Daphne, who's about the size of a small car, to his tiny motorboat and towed her along for a day of fishing. He deflated the duck when he got to shore and kept her at his home for the past week.

Gibb will meet up with the Cockburn Swimming Club officials on Wednesday, March 21 to return their beloved duck to them.

As per reports in Mashable, Peter Marr, chairman of the club, plans on giving Gibb family passes for next year's competition, branded merchandise, and a bottle of vodka for Daphne's safe return

Since it was the 22nd Coogee Jetty to Jetty swimming event — and a 22 in the game bingo is known as "two little ducks" — Daphne the duck was to be the race's main attraction.