Nepean River boat drama: How Nicholas Bachour and mates survived

When a boat full of mates started to sink, you’d expect there to be full-blown panic. But the soothing tones of Bob Marley and the ingenious use of a chair leg saved the day.

A group of mates have told how a broken camping chair, a bit of Bob Marley and a fisherman called Tim saved them from disaster when their boat started sinking.

Nicholas Hajj Bachour and his mates went out on their friend’s ski boat on the Nepean River on January 4.

But after a few hours on the water they noticed the boat had started to take on water.

“We tried to get the water out with our hands and a bucket but it was filling up,” Mr Bachour said.

The scene after emergency services arrived. Source: Nepean River Boaters Page

It was chaos but the men didn’t panic.

“Everyone said we were so chill. I posted on Snapchat like ‘yeah, the boat sunk but at least we got some music’,” Mr Bachour said.

As they had no phone reception at the time, the men tried to think creatively while playing ‘Don’t Worry’ by Bob Marley.

Tim Bow pictured standing proudly with his Tinnie.

Mr Bachour then had an idea.

“I found broken chair legs from a camping chair and attached it to my phone, because it’s metal, and climbed up to a rock,” Mr Bachour said.

“I pointed it up till I got a bar of reception and then I called my mate and told him to call emergency services or SES because we’re stuck.”

The helicopter came to check on the men.

While they waited for the emergency services, help came in the form of a local jetskier.

After a quick chat he sped off and alerted local fisherman Tim Bow who came to the rescue in his tinnie.

Tim came chugging along in his boat and rescued Mr Bachour and his mates.

Tim Bow with his dog 'Amber' who recently passed.

As they returned, in the safety of Tim’s tinnie, the police helicopter appeared overhead before the SES arrived on the scene.

It was a close call but thanks to Tim the friends made it back to dry land.

“We need to give a special shout out to that Tim guy,” Mr Bachour said. “That guy is something out of this world, we’re still talking to him now. We’re probably going to go out for drinks. He’s just a top bloke.”

The boat was retrieved the next day.

The group of mates, joined by Tim, rescued the boat from Nepean River the next day.