Cairns police officer braves croc-inhabited water to rescue man after bus crash

A 36-YEAR-OLD man whose bus crashed into a croc-inhabited Cairns creek says he will never forget the efforts of police officers who risked their lives to save him.

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UPDATE: A 36-year-old bus driver who crashed into a croc-inhabited Cairns creek says he will never forget the efforts of police officers who risked their lives to save him.

The man was driving a tourist bus with trailer when it crashed into Smiths Creek on Fearnley Street in Bungalow.

Three nearby police officers noticed the crash and two watched for crocodiles - which had been spotted in the creek as recently as last week - while the other, Plain clothes Senior Constable John Dijkstra, plunged into the water to rescue the driver.

The driver, whose name has not been released, remains in Cairns Hospital in a stable condition and he issued a letter through the hospital thanking his rescuers and outlining what he remembers of the Sunday night’s incident

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“The exact details of the accident are hazy, but I remember swerving to avoid someone on the road, it was raining and slippery and the next thing I was in the water,” he said.

“I can’t fault the QAS and QPS for their dedication to helping me. They saved my life and I can’t thank them enough for what they did.

“Risking their lives to help me – it’s something I’ll never forget.

“Special thanks to John D for grabbing me just as I was going under.

“I’m so lucky they were miraculously near me when it happened and acted so quickly.”

He also thanked staff at Cairns Hospital for their care during “such a difficult time”.

YESTERDAY: A Cairns police officer has told how he managed to free a driver from the cabin of his bus as it filled with water after crashing into a creek known for crocodiles.

Plain clothes Senior Constable John Dijkstra was on his way to another inquiry with two other officers on Sunday night when they noticed a bus on Spence St crash into Smiths Creek on Fearnley Street.

Turning around to investigate, they saw the 30-seater tourist bus quickly sinking and heard cries for help from the driver.

Luckily there were no passengers in the bus at the time.

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Sen-Constable Dijkstra quickly sprung to action, jumping into the water to assist the man while the two other officers stood watch on each side of the bank to keep a look out.

“He was definitely stuck, he was definitely in a panic and struggling for breath when we turned up,” Sen-Constable Dijkstra said.

“I tried to pull him out (from the cracked windscreen) the first time and he seemed to be stuck, but by the second attempt managed to get him free.

“But as a result got caught up in the mangroves and he was continually going under water.

“We managed to get him out and with assistance from the other officer and gave him some first aid.”

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“Crocodiles have been observed there in the past but our number-one priority was to get him out of the water and help him as best we can,” he said.

“There’s definitely some hairier moments that have popped up over the years but this is just another one.”

The 36-year-old man was taken to Cairns Hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

>> RELATED: Resident tells of hearing Smiths Creek crocs ‘from his backyard’

With a croc having been sighted in the creek as recently as last week, Sen-Constable Dijkstra said it was definitely a thought that had crossed his mind.

The sighting reported on September 17 had been forwarded onto a contractor to target the animal for removal from the wild.

Smiths Creek at Bungalow, where a bus driver was rescued from his sinking vehicle. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE.

Far North District Duty Officer Senior Sergeant Duane Amos said the quick thinking of the officers involved likely saved the life of the bus driver.

“The rapid response by the officers, seeing the bus sinking and flooding the compartment area, has averted a tragedy on the quickly submerging bus,” he said.

Initial investigations indicate that the bus driver swerved to miss two pedestrians, causing him to lose control and crash into the creek.

Investigations into the crash are ongoing.

Originally published as Cairns police officer braves croc-inhabited water to rescue man after bus crash