Sydney harbour fatalities

[alleycat]

Just listenng on the news about the boating mishap on sydney harbour thats left 5 dead and they were saying the pro trawler didnt stop, surely if somebody was at the wheel they knew they hit something, ive read lots of reports from people nearly hit by trawlers where nobody was at the wheel, maybe this terrible accident might wake a few up to this dangerous practise.

[coucho]

Alley I have worked on trawlers and been around them most of my life. I can tell you it is practicley impossible to have someone on the wheel all the time with a crew of two men. We used to slow down and keep a look out when we where steaming through areas where speed boats frequent but alot of the time you are on the auto pilot and out on the back deck working. Its also not possible to see a speed boat once its under the bow now I am not tryinng to defend trawler operators or anything or say that what they do is right. Just trying to get people to keep it in mind if you see em headed in you direction get ready to move cause chances are she aint got anyone behind the wheel.

[T1]

Lets hope this thread doesn't turn into a 'point the finger' exercise! At this point, ACCORDING to the major news outlets, it appears the runabout that was hit was stolen and did not have its Nav lights on. I feel sorry for the innocents and for the Trawlermen involved - it would never be an easy thing for anyone involved!

Take Care T

[Outsider1]

Have a look at the photos on the News Limited site, seems to have been a low speed collision and there is not a lot of damage evident on either boat.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23627008-2,00.html

Draw your own conclusions as to why the fatalities happened but if I was to guess at this stage, I would say the overcrowding and a lack of safety gear and inexperience on the runabout would be high on the list of contributors.

Dave

[alleycat]

It would seem they nicked the boat for a joyride and yes it was overcrowded, i know trawlers sometimes use auto pilot but i dont think sydney harbour is a place it should be used. ( not saying it was in auto pilot though)

[T1]

Have a look at the photos on the News Limited site, seems to have been a low speed collision and there is not a lot of damage evident on either boat.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23627008-2,00.html

Draw your own conclusions as to why the fatalities happened but if I was to guess at this stage, I would say the overcrowding and a lack of safety gear and inexperience on the runabout would be high on the list of contributors.

Dave

Dave, i was watching an interview this morning (9.30am) with the Medico at the hospital in charge of the injured and he stated that from the injuries sustained, it appeared to be a fairly 'hard' impact! I know the boat doesn't look much damaged but 5 dead and 3 Critical would not be conducive to a 'low impact' collision?

Excerpt from a Major News outlet:

[The damage to the runabout was mainly at the rear of the vessel, where Mr McPherson said most of the 14 on board were likely to have been sitting.
"The majority of the people would have had to be sitting in the last two thirds of the boat and it would have been low in the water, down at the stern."]

And another at 4.15pm:

["Part of the investigation will no doubt be looking at the speed aspect and also other issues in relation to who was driving this thing at the time, the degree of sobriety or any other factor," Special Services Group Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons told Macquarie Radio.
"The two people on the fishing boat, who escaped uninjured, notified emergency services of the collision.
"The two-man crew on the trawler rang the alarm bells straight away after having collided with this vessel," said Mr Parsons.]

Let's hope they all pull through...

Take Care T

[JEWIENEWIE]

Again, another tradgedy. Lets just remember that people have died and many people will be suffering unimadginable greif. Lets let the authorities do there job and our thoughts should be with the people who will be greatly affected by this.
Unless we were there pesonally, all we will be acheiving at this stage,by trying to figure ot what happened, is......................?
My heart and thoughts go out to the loved ones left behind and the crew of the trawler.
Jewie

[PinHead]

ty jewie..I agree..leave it alone and let he NSW authorities do their job and let the families grieve in their own way.

[Luc]

Terrible price to pay for a joy ride.

Luc

[NAGG]

its not looking good!

I feel so sorry for the poor trawler fishoes ..... & the family of the deceased!

Sydney Harbour at night ..... Is not a place to be dicking around ( specialy off Bradley's head)

Nagg

[mik01]

we'll find out soon enough.
hard to believe that 14 people crammed onto that boat though! just goes to show that grog, inexperience and boating do NOT mix.

[theoldlegend]

I agree with T1 and Pinhead here.

Let's not jump to conclusions based on what we've seen or heard on the news.

Let the authorities do their job.


TOL

[KGW3]

If by chance, it does turn out to be Alcohol related. (The group was allegedly drinking at the pub before hand). It may be time to review this "Drinking at the pub" passtime that seems to escape any liabilty by the Owners. A few years ago, a drunk that had spend most of the afternoon drinking at the pub, near my place, attempted to drive home and subsequently crossed the double lines and hit another car driven by a young girl. Both died at the scene. Other drug dealers are jailed, but the Alcohol manufacturers and sellers (being good tax contributors) are immune.

[mitch92]

the Alcohol manufacturers and sellers (being good tax contributors) are immune..


I believe it either IS law or is being talked about to become law that all people who sell alchohol over the counter (pub, hotel etc.) will/do have a duty of care to not sell alchohol to a person who is clearly abusing it/going over the top. We have talked about it at school and I believe that all places like this should not be allowed to sell alchohol to people who are obviously drinking too much Ie. getting drunk at the pub.

Either way lets let it rest until the authorities can find out what happened before saying what was and wasnt involved.

[disorderly]

I saw tonight an interveiw with some fisherman who were first on the scene and helped the victims and helped get the boat to shore.....one mentioned how he called for help by 3 passing trawlers but none stopped...

Anyone else hear anything about this?
Surely I have misread the situation?

Scott

[alleycat]

All the talk about the skipper of the boat overturned being reckless ect or maybe drinking is ignoring the question of if somebody was driving the trawler, how could you run into a boat that size and just keep driving, will be interesting to see how this unfolds.

[mod5]

Post closed.

Lets respect the dead and injured and leave it to the authorities to determine what happened.