A Current Affair Last night?

[Holy_Mackerel]

Hey Guys
I meant to watch A Current Affair last night to see the story of the guy that was out at sea for two days before he was rescued. Did anyone see that? Or is there a newspaper article that gives the full story? I'm interested in the story but missed it.
Many thanks,
Wes

[roz]

I watched that story on ACA, very lucky chap.
I don't know the ACA's web site addy, but you would get most of the information you needed if you went there.
Good luck Roz

[Dug]

http://aca.ninemsn.com.au cannot see anything there but he floated for 2 days on a bamboo fishing gaff ! one tough guy.

[Derek Bullock]

I didn't get to see it but did see the advertisement on TV. Are you sure it was part of A Current Affair or was it a special documntary. I have searched their site and cant find it.

Derek

[vp3]

As I understand the story the bloke in question was on board a trawler east of Cape Moreton which was owned and skippered by his father. Apparently the trawlers nets caught an obstruction on the bottom and started sinking very quickly by the rear. It is believed the skipper went down with the trawler as he was in the wheel house at the time. The son (decky) jumped over board grabing a long bamboo pole (gaff) which helped to keep him afloat for some 36 hours. A recreational fisherman spoted him waving his arms about 26 km out to sea, east of Currumbin (the Gold Coast) and rescued him. Thankfully the decky (son ) is alive and well after a small stay in the John Flynn Hospital.
The current through this area can move up to 4 knots which would explain the huge distance covered by the son.

[Daintreeboy]

The biggest question with this story is why it took so long before anyone even knew they were missing.

[Needmorerum]

I watched it as well, good coverage of an unfortunate event. I agree Daintreeboy, wouldn't they, or shouldn't they be in contact with someone when their out at sea.
The son said that when the nets tangled and the boat flipped over, it all happened that fast that he was only 1m from an EPIRB and didn't have time to think about it and grab it.
Very unfortunate, very lucky, hopefully none of us have to experience this.

Corry

[baldyhead]

When the VMS signal went off line why didn't the monitoring authorities
A. start a search
B. advise all vessels in the area of the last reported Lat/Lon of the missing trawler.
C. If there was no VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) on board this vessel...then why not? I thought it was Mandatory on ALL trawlers.
cheers baldy

[SCOTTYGC]

the best part of the story was when he had a beer with the guy that saved him .
he aslo said he would never go back out to sea
at one part of his trip he almost reached land just south of point lookout but the tide changed and took him back out to sea
very lucky man

scotty

[Derek Bullock]

Because Baldy you know as well as anyone who has the slightest bit of knowledge about VMS that safety is not the purpose for VMS and never has been.

Like it or not thats the facts.

For those who know nothing of VMS read about it at http://www.dpi.qld.gov.au/fishweb/3061.html


Derek

[dfox]

I know how the bloke that rescued him feels i picked up three servivers of a simular incident 70ks out to sea in 1994, they'd been in the water for 2 days...foxy

[SeaSaw]

Sh!t Foxy, lucky you were in the right spot at the right time. I bet that made you think about the dangers of being a fisherman. :o

Can you post the rest of the article?

Mark

[SeaSaw]

This has also reminded me of a rescue my father was involved in. He was skippering tug boats during the '74 flood and was working the Brisbane River at the height of the flood helping secure some barges that had broken away. Dad was coming back up the river when the call came out over the radio that a bloke had gone overboard from a boat up near the Victoria Bridge. Not long after the call went out Dad was approaching the Story Bridge and this guy popped up on a pressure wave, right beside his tug. They managed to drag him on board. He was in a pretty bad way but survived. One very lucky fellow as he wouldn't have lasted another minute in the flood waters.

Mark

[dfox]

Mark got dozens of news clippings of my rescue, but many of them have the story so twisted and inacurate its amazing. I think the papers just make up things to dramatise the story...il try and find the rest.