Man stuck in mangroves at Turkey Beach: RACQ’s rescue helicopter deployed

The alarm was raised when the man had not returned as expected.

A normal trip out to check crab pots ended in disaster for an 80-year-old man yesterday after his boat capsized near Turkey Beach.

The man had reportedly set out in his tinnie around 9am yesterday morning and travelled up a creek before running into trouble and having his boat flipped.

The alarm was raised when the man had not returned as expected and the Bundaberg-based RACQ LifeFlight Rescue helicopter was called into action by the Queensland Police Service just after 3pm.

The Rescue crew searched the area for about 10 minutes before they spotted the overturned boat among the mangroves.

The man had covered himself in mud, to protect himself from mosquitoes.

The Rescue crew officer was winched down to the mud flats and prepared the boatie for the hoist.

He was then raised to the safety of the helicopter and flown to a nearby boat ramp, where the crew was met by QPS Water Police.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) flight paramedic assessed the man, but he did not require any further medical attention.

The crew said the boatie was in good spirits and thankful for being rescued, as he had thought he would be stranded overnight.