Dad’s anguish over Australia Day boat hit-run horror near Sovereign Islands

A Gold Coast dad who says his wife and son were the victims of a horror ‘hit and run’ on the Broadwater has offered a $5000 reward for information. WATCH THE VIDEO

A Gold Coast dad who says his wife and son were the victims of a horror “hit and run” on the Broadwater has offered a $5000 reward to anyone who can identify the culprit.

Jacques Pels has tracked down CCTV footage showing the shocking moment of impact.

The Sovereign Islands resident said his wife and son were “nearly killed” when they were hit by a boat from behind while riding a jet ski just after 1pm on Australia Day.

He said the boat’s skipper did not even stop to help.

Audrey Pels and her 16-year-old son Jason were both struck in the head by the boat’s prow.

Audrey was pinned to the jet ski’s handlebars while Jason was thrown into the water.

Jacques Pels with wife Audrey and son Jason 16 at their Sovereign Islands home. Picture Glenn Hampson

They were battered and bruised from the ordeal, but suffered no major injury.

Mr Pels and his other son and daughter watched the horrific incident unfold while they were a short distance away on another jet ski.

On Friday, he pleaded for any boaties or residents with footage of the area between 1pm and 1.30pm on Australia Day to come forward.

A resident responded and supplied Mr Pels with CCTV captured on their home security camera.

Mr Pels said it showed the moment the boat crashed into his wife’s jet ski from behind at the time of 1.13pm on Australia Day.

“Somebody saw something,” he said.

“Now we have a very specific timeline we can start working off.

“(The footage) shows the boat came from the main channel along Sovereign Islands going north and did not come from the Coomera River.”

CCTV from a Sovereign Islands resident showing the 'hit and run'. Picture: supplied

Mr Pels has completed letterbox drops and door knocked residents in the area to track down the rogue boatie.

He has bolstered these efforts by offering a $5000 reward to anyone who can positively identify them.

“We need everyone to chip in and find this person to prevent this from happening to other people,” Mr Pels said.

“It could have been a true tragedy.

“I could have lost my boy and my wife in a matter of seconds.”

He pleaded for any boaties or residents with footage of the Broadwater about four minutes north of Sovereign Islands between 1pm and 1.30pm on Australia Day to come forward.

Mr Pels described the white boat as 38 to 45ft long.

The boat skipper was wearing a light blue t-shirt, and the passengers included two blonde women and a boy about 10 years old who witnessed the incident.

He did not see the boat’s name or registration.

Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Kell Dillon said it was working closely with Queensland water police to investigate the incident.

Anyone with any information or footage is asked to contact MSQ’s Gold Coast office on 5585 1810 or email: [e-mail]

The Pels family from left, Matthew 11, Audrey Pels and husband Jacques, son Jason 16 and daughter Michelle 14 at their Sovereign Islands home. Picture Glenn Hampson

EARLIER:

A Gold Coast dad is pleading for the community’s help to track down a rogue boatie who left his family injured and traumatised in a hit-run horror.

Sovereign Islands resident Jacques Pels said his wife and son were “nearly killed” when they were hit by a boat from behind while riding a jet ski just after 1pm on Australia Day.

He said the boat’s skipper did not even stop to help.

Audrey Pels and her 16-year-old son Jason were both struck in the head by the boat’s prow.

Audrey was pinned to the jet ski’s handlebars while Jason was thrown into the water.

“They nearly killed my family,” Mr Pels said.

“Had it been 20cms towards the other side – they would have been fully under the boat.”

The incident happened after the family set off on their jet skis to meet friends for Australia Day celebrations at Jumpinpin, near South Stradbroke Island.

Jacques, his youngest son and daughter were on one jet ski, while Audrey and their other son Jason were travelling about 80m behind on the other.

The group were on the Broadwater about four minutes north of Sovereign Islands when Mr Pels looked back to check on his wife.

“I saw a boat to her left, maybe 70m behind her. It seemed to be overtaking,” he said.

“He was ploughing. He must have been doing 28 to 30 knots.”

Mr Pels did a u-turn to try to reach his wife.

Then he heard his son shout: “Dad, they’re hitting mum”.

“The picture I still have in my head is my son’s legs up in the air against the bow of the boat,” he said.

“The whole jet ski went under water.”

The bruise on Audrey Pels’ leg after she was hit by a boat. Picture: Supplied

The rear seat of the watercraft was crushed – their daughter had asked to sit there before they set out on the water.

Mr Pels made a last-minute decision to put her on the back of his jet ski, potentially saving her life.

“I don’t even want to think about what that would have looked like,” he said.

Mr Pels stood up on his jet ski and shouted to get the boat skipper’s attention, but it kept going.

He then turned his attention to helping his wife and son.

They were battered and bruised from the ordeal, but suffered no major injury.

A passing tinny and a police boat stopped to help and look for the boat.

Their search proved fruitless due to the amount of boats on the water that day.

Mr Pels said police were then called away from the job after a seaplane crashed at Jumpinpin.

The Sovereign Islands resident said he filed an incident report with the water police and wanted the boatie responsible to be “held accountable”.

“I’m so acutely aware of how bloody lucky I am,” he said.

“I could have lost my wife and son in seconds.”

He pleaded for any boaties or residents with footage of the area between 1pm and 1.30pm on Australia Day to come forward.

Mr Pels described the white boat as 38 to 45ft long.

The boat skipper was wearing a light blue t-shirt, and the passengers included two blonde women and a boy about 10 years old who witnessed the incident.

He did not see the boat’s name or registration.

Anyone with information is urged to email: [e-mail]