Scary thought...

[chanquetas]

For a start, Aussie seafarers dont work at night, and if he was on deck for a work-related cause he would not be wearing just his underpants. We are not talking about a little fishing boat here, this is the 33,000 dwt products tanker Barrington. Strict HSEQ standards apply to all merchant vessels today, and I am sure they are particularly adhered to on the Teekay vessels.
One would presume then that alcohol is a factor, as is usually the case when this happens. It doesnt always make the headlines by the way.
Yes, he is lucky to be alive, and I wish him a long and healthy life.
But I would say that he is also a fool, a lucky fool at that.
"Apparently he was hit by a big grappling hook or something." Highly improbable.

[DICER]

I think if I were treading water for 13 hrs - I wouldn't want anything else other than just boxer shorts - especially with a broken arm. 13hrs is a very long time to be either just thinking about being picked up or physically treading water. I don't think I would piss up there. Lucky he made it.

[Mick]

I am guessing most people have heard about the merchant sailor that was rescued 20 miles off bowen after spending 13 hours tredding water with a broken arm, wearing only boxer shorts. I can't imagine how terrifying this could be for someone and also knowing that Vic Hislop has been quoted at saying that the waters between Gloucestor Island and Cape Upstart (off shore form Bowen) hold some of the biggest tiger sharks in Australia.
The scary part about this from my point of view is that I was fishing and diving 20 miles off shore from Bowen at the exact same time he was drifting in the water.
I think the sailor was lucky to be picked up, as the seas were very calm and every man and his dog was out fishing. If it was a rough day, there would of been no boats out and the sailor would of more then likely died.
I hope he makes a full recovery and I hope I didn't miss hearing his crys for help.

Mick

[kleiny]

he can count his lucky stars
;)

[devocean]

My theory is he saw the eco resort Mick and said stuff it.

[SeaHunt]

Tough dude I reckon, I wouldn't last 13 minutes treading water with a broken arm. :P
Its hard to believe he went 13 hours without something trying to have a chew on him. Sounds like some of the bait on my trips. :o

[Hutcho]

I haven't heard exactly how he fell overboard....does anyone know?

A remarkable story though. The two old blokes who found him would have been absolutelyb stunned to see this poor bloke that far out to sea. I can't begin to imagine the fear he would have been feeling all that time.

Cheers,
Hutcho

[Mick]

Well, if he jumped over at the whitsundays to try and swim to Arlie Beach, he missed it by a whisker.

How he fell over board is strange. Why would he be in boxer shorts and working on the deck of the ship in the first place?

I hate to say it..., but maybe he didn't fall...? That, or he sleep walks... ???

[Spaniard_King]

I wonder if he had a P!ss in the time he was in the water :o

Garry

[devocean]

Apparently he was hit by a big grappling hook or something. He could have been trying to get to the foam party in airlie thats the only place I know where people go in their boxers down that way

[agnes_jack]

Did he go overboard in just the boxers, or strip down to boxers to help him swim, once in the water?

Bloody scary................Tony

[Hutcho]

There was a seperate incident i heard involving a Japanese guy who was hit by the grappling hook of one of the cranes on baord a seperate vessel off the Qld coast. It hit him so hard that he was screaming he couldn't feel anyhting below his waist and was very distressed. The guy who fell over in his boxers wasn't hit by a hook. The reports still haven't said how he ened up in the drink as far as I know.

Cheers,
Hutcho

[_Matt_]

If he was having a piss, or drunk, then how do you explain the broken arm part ??? His old fella musta been heavy :o The grappling hook story is most likely I think. He'll live to fish another day ;)

[after7]

Mick I think he hit the water the night after we came in- that way we dont have to feel bad about not seeing him. :'(

[chanquetas]

Do you even know what a grappling hook is? Its like a reef anchor on a rope, used for scaling walls etc. The only way he could be hit by one of these is if a pirate was trying to board the vessel and he was standing next to the gunnel in his underpants when it was tossed aboard.
If a cargo hook is what he is supposed to be hit by then this is impossible.
The vessel is a tanker, it does not have large cargo cranes. It will however have a stores crane, located near the accommodation, but this MOST DEFINITELY would not have been used during the night. At night time, vessels get on with the business of going from A to B. The only people working On Aussie ships at night are the Officer of the watch (the Mate) and one IR (Integrated Rating). The rest are sleeping, resting, watching TV, or sucking piss. Unfortunately alcohol is still allowed on this type of vessel.
Perhaps he was sitting on the gunnel? We all know only first trippers, fools and firemen sit on gunnels, so this is probable only if he was pissed.
How did he break his arm? I would imagine hitting the water from about 10 meters from a vessel doing about 14 knots (26km/h) that it is quite possible to break your arm on impact with the water.
He's just lucky to be alive, thats for sure.