Woman rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital after boat accident at Wave Break Island

A WOMAN aged in her 40s is in a critical condition undergoing surgery for non-life threatening injures after a horrific boating mishap on Wavebreak Island.

A photo of Wave Break Island. Pic: Richard Gosling.

A WOMAN aged in her 40s is in a critical condition undergoing surgery for non-life threatening injures after a horrific boating mishap on Wavebreak Island.

She suffered “extensive” cuts and fractures to both legs as well as a serious gash to her groin while helping her husband moor a boat on the eastern side of the popular Gold Coast haven today.

One of the ambulances that rushed to the scene at the Broadwater. Picture: Nicholas McElroy.

Paramedics said the woman was understood to be standing in waist-deep water and trying to pull the boat into shore with a rope when her legs somehow became tangled in the vessel’s propeller at about 12.30pm.

Bystanders on the island rushed to help the seriously injured woman and raised the alarm with emergency services.

Two Southport Volunteer Marine Rescue boats were dispatched to help the woman while bystanders performed first aid.

The woman remained conscious throughout the ordeal according to Queensland Ambulance Inspector Pat Berry.

“One (VMR) boat went straight out to her while another came to pick up the paramedics to take them out to the island,” Insp Berry said.

Up to six paramedic vehicles rushed to the scene.

“We are very grateful for the VMR’s assistance and the bystanders provided very good first aid care,” he said.

Insp Berry said the husband who had been skippering the boat was treated for shock.

He said the woman is expected to be in surgery at Gold Coast University for some time.

He commended the bystanders, the VMR and paramedics responding to the incident who would have been met with confronting scenes.

“It would have been quite confronting for both the bystanders and paramedics,” Insp Berry said.

“I can’t commend them enough, it was a time-critical incident.”