Water police rescue man after boat sinks at Pioneer River mouth

A French national was forced to abandon his sinking yacht after it drifted in a swollen Queensland river, hitting a sandbank. SEE THE PICTURES

A French national was forced to abandon his sinking yacht after his drifted in the swollen Pioneer River hitting a sandbank.

An emergency call came through about 8am Tuesday after the vessel drifted from its position just south of the River St boat ramp.

Yeppoon Water Police Sergeant Shaun Halson, who was with the crew sent to Mackay to help out as rain pummels the region, said the solo man on the boat had been “dragged out towards the mouth of the Pioneer River”.

Yeppoon water police crew are in Mackay to help out as rain smashes the region. Officers rescued a French national whose boat drifted and sank at the mouth of the Pioneer River on Tuesday, January 13, 2023. Picture: Janessa Ekert

“When his main boat hit the sandbank he did hop into his emergency tender … he was in there with a life jacket on,” Sergeant Halson said.

“And he had his phone with him.

“We deployed and were able to locate him and rescue him, he’s safe and well, no injuries.”

Yeppoon water police patrol the swollen Pioneer River on Tuesday morning, January 17, 2023. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Sadly, his boat sunk and was “on the bottom” at the mouth of the Pioneer River. Maritime Safety Queensland will be notified.

Sergeant Halson said the high tide on Tuesday morning combined with the significant amount of rain had caused his vessel to drag anchor from its position.

“Once you get in to the main body of the current … it’s very hard for them to reset their anchor,” he said.

His boat drifted from his anchorage spot before sinking on Tuesday morning. Picture: Janessa Ekert

The French national declined to speak with the Daily Mercury when he arrived back at the boat ramp.

The water police crew also performed a welfare check on a boatie living on a small red yacht anchored just up from the boat ramp.

The vessel was straining and swaying in the fast flowing river.

Sergeant Halson said high tide was 7-8am and if the boat was going to drag or snap anchor it would have happened then.

Yeppoon water police officers chat with a man living on a yacht in the swollen Pioneer River on Tuesday morning, January 13, 2023. Picture: Janessa Ekert

“He’s very close to shore, he has a phone, we’ve got his details, we’re in regular (contact) with him,” Sergeant Halson said.

“We haven’t declared a disaster situation so we’re not forcing anyone off their yachts.”

Sergeant Halson said police were not encouraging people to get on the water over the next couple of days.

A succession of spectators converged at the water’s edge to see the blue-turned-brown river.

Ooralea resident David Greenhalgh checking out the Pioneer River after all four to five days of rain in Mackay. Picture: Janessa Ekert

Ooralea resident David Greenhalgh was one such member who wanted to “see what it was like with the flood”.

It was not the first time he had seen the river this high.

“I’ve seen it worse than this, but not much,” Mr Greenhalgh said, adding the current weather had been like a typical wet season.

He said in the past few years “everyone else had got the rain, but we haven’t”.

“This is the most we’ve had in almost 12 months,” he said.