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seabug
05-01-2007, 10:51 AM
Friday Jan 5 10:58 AEDT
A man's leg has been amputated following a ferry collision on Sydney Harbour.

The Dawn Fraser rivercat and the man's small, aluminium fishing boat collided near Luna Park, on the harbour's north shore, around 7am (AEDT) police said.

He and his son were thrown into the water and rescued by another ferry on its way to Drummoyne.

The father, believed to be in his sixties, also suffered a heart attack as a result of the severe trauma to his leg, a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.

He was taken to St Vincent's Hospital where his right leg has been amputated.

He remains in a critical condition.

His son, in his thirties, was injured and swallowed a large amount of sea water.

He is also in St Vincent's and reported to be in a stable condition.

A Sydney Ferries spokesman said the rivercat was not in service and heading to Circular Quay at the time of the accident.

Police said the crew of the Dawn Fraser may have been unaware of the collision and kept on going.

The ferry Charlotte, one of the older fleet, was on the Circular Quay to Drummoyne service run when the crew spotted the men in the water, the Sydney Ferries spokesman said.

He said crew members administered first aid while taking the men to Walsh Bay where they were met by an ambulance crew.

The captain of the Dawn Fraser is undergoing drug and alcohol testing, in line with standard police procedures.

Roughasguts
05-01-2007, 11:08 AM
Hmmm Accidents waiting to happen those ferries when they have there amber light flashing. Everyone including sail has to give way to them, and I can't see why, after all they are the ones moving.

Theres that much paddle and sail, let alone drifting going on in the harbour even the odd drunk swimmer, love to know why a ferry has exsclusive right of way over any other vessel.

Is this because they have a time table????
If so never stopped a train around Sydney being late.

lighthouse2k
05-01-2007, 11:10 AM
The amber light is more about you giving way to them, probably more when you are underway. They would still have a duty of care even so I would imagine.

Roughasguts
05-01-2007, 11:30 AM
You would think so, but they didn't see the guy's in the tinnie.
Mind you the driver of the river cat sits aft along way so his imediate forward visibility is just not there unless the obstacle is higher than his bow.

Makes me wonder how these guy's navigate, do they follow a plot on the GPS, and pretty much forget about look out, seems so in this case.

steveg1100
05-01-2007, 11:43 AM
The ferries have had there fare share of accidents I agree.

As far as the reason that they have right of way, because they are carrying the public and the thought is to make the transport system better for people to use. Its the same as buses when they pull out from the curve its no longer please give way sign on the back just give way. You have to imagine what a disaster it would be if all the people that catch buses decided to drive into work every day. They must carry that same reasoning over to the ferries.

As far as the accident goes there will no doubt be an inquiry and we will find out who is at fault.

seabug
29-01-2007, 12:03 AM
From the Herald/Sun.

Police have charged the driver of a Sydney Ferries RiverCat which ploughed into a fishing boat,killing a fisherman.
The 72-year-old died in hospital eight days after the Dawn Fraser River-Cat ran down his Aluminium runabout on Sydney Harbour on the morning of January 5
The fisherman had to have his right leg amputated and suffered a heart attack during the incident.
NSW Police charged the 51-year-old RiverCat master with culpable navigation in a manner dangerous,causing death through impact.
He will appear in court on March 8

Dirtysanchez
29-01-2007, 04:43 PM
Geez !! thats no good at all, the poor guy didn't pull through..

How could the guy not see the tinny ? something weird going on there. Maybe he was making a coffee ? (like the tilt train drivier in Bundaberg)