Fishers cling to overturned boat 1km off Caloundra

Two fishers have spent 20 minutes clinging to their overturned powerboat which rolled after it crashed into a bar 1km offshore at Caloundra amid a social lockdown

Aerial photography Sunshine Coast. Tooway. Moffat Beach. Shelley Beach. Kings Beach. Caloundra. Pumicestone passage.

TWO fishers spent 20 minutes clinging to their overturned powerboat which rolled after it crashed into a bar offshore at Caloundra this afternoon.

Resident Geoff Way noticed the incident from his shoreline vantage point along Upper Gay Tce, Kings Beach and alerted the authorities.

Mr Way said the boat had rolled about 2pm about and was a kilometre offshore and battling an outgoing tide.

"I didn't see it roll over but I can see two people clinging to the boat through my binoculars," Mr Way said about 2.30pm.

"Lifesavers and jetskiers are with them but it's unstable out there."

Senior Constable Mark Muddiman, from Sunshine Coast Water Police, said the pair had minor scratches but were OK.

He said it took police about 20 minutes to rescue the pair and that the Coast Guard would tow the boat back to shore.

While he said the boaties were allowed to be out fishing amid the coronavirus pandemic, he questioned the need for it.

"Fishing is classed as essential, yes, but this is a reason why it potentially shouldn't be," Snr- Const Muddiman said.

"When stuff like this happens it becomes a marine incident.

"This is a classic example, these two have come into contact with 10 people.

"It is really necessary?"

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