South Passage training ship sails to rescue of kayakers off Hinchinbrook Island

A tall “pirate-like” ship crewed by youth completing adventure awards has sailed to the rescue of two kayakers who got into difficulty in crocodile-infested North Queensland waters.

A tall “pirate-like” ship crewed by teenagers completing adventure awards has sailed to the rescue of two kayakers who got into difficulty in crocodile-infested North Queensland waters.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said at 3pm that the South Passage had sailed to the rescue of the kayakers in kayakers in serious trouble off Cape Sandwich on the north-eastern tip of Hinchinbrook Island.

An AMSA spokesman said it had responded after it received a personal locator beacon signal about 12.30pm on Thursday.

“South Passage has reached the kayakers and taken both on board,” he said.

“One of the kayakers is reported to be suffering from exposure after having spent some time in the water and has been airlifted from the tall ship’s tender by a Queensland Government Air helicopter from Cairns, and will be flown to Cairns for medical assessment.”

A screen grab from a video showing the dramatic rescue by crew aboard the tall training ship, South Passage, of two kayakers off Hinchinbrook Island in North Queensland on Thursday. Picture: Supplied

The spokesman said the other kayaker would be transferred to Cardwell by the Volunteer Rescue.

Queensland Ambulance Service confirmed at 4.20pm that the QGAir rescue helicopter was in bound to winch one of the kayakers from the tender.

The South Passage training ship operated by the not-for-profit The Sail Training Association of Queensland in this file photo from the association's web page. Picture: Supplied

The woman, in her 50s, was believed to have been in the water for “some time”, a QAS spokeswoman said.

The South Passage training ship is operated by the not-for-profit The Sail Training Association of Queensland.

Brisbane-based association office manager Mina Carrington confirmed the pair – and their kayaks – were aboard the ship.

She said the young people aboard the ship were completing their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Awards aboard the ‘South Passage’, a sailing ship 30-metres long, 23-metres tall and with a displacement of 60 tons.

Young adult crew members of the South Passage training ship is operated by the not-for-profit The Sail Training Association of Queensland in this file photo from the association's web page. Picture: Supplied

Ms Carrington said she had spoken to Sailing Master Robyn Elkington, OAM, aboard the ship although communication lines were poor.

She said the male, who was uninjured, was being retrieved by the Cardwell-based Volunteer Marine Rescue, while the woman would be winched aboard the rescue helicopter.

Ms Carrington said the 13 teenagers aboard the ship on an eight-day journey from Cairns to Townsville ranged in age from 15 to 18 and were predominantly from North Queensland, although a handful were from Victoria and Brisbane.

She said the unusual circumstances of the rescue would add to what was a trip of a lifetime for the young adults.

“The volunteers that we have onboard, the crew, are so experienced and they’re all trained to deal with situations like this,” she said.

“They all have various skill levels and qualifications so they will be talking the kids through this so that there won’t be any lasting effects.

“Sometimes when you see a rescue it can give you some lasting effects so the crew will be spending a lot of time talking it through.”

Department of Environment, Science and Innovation Wildlife Officers remove a saltwater crocodile, also known as an estuarine crocodile, measuring at least four metres in length at Port Hinchinbrook in Cardwell between Townsville and Cairns in North Queensland in May. The animal is believed to be responsible for an attack on a human and death of at least one pet dog. Picture: Cameron Bates

Ms Carrington said the dramatic rescue would provide ample material for their Duke of Ed reports once they arrived in Townsville on Saturday.

Hinchinbrook Island, the world’s largest island national park, is inhabited by aggressively territorial saltwater crocodiles that can grow up to five metres in length.

Sailor Andrew Heard was killed and consumed by a five-metre monster that attacked his dingy off the island in February 2021.

Another crocodile that made an unsuccessful attempt to make a meal out of a man at Port Hinchinbrook at nearby Cardwell was recently captured by wildlife officers.

Due to the danger posed by salties, kayakers are generally advised not to attempt to navigate the Hinchinbrook Channel that runs between the island and the mainland, but stick to the open ocean to the north.

Originally published as South Passage training ship sails to rescue of kayakers off Hinchinbrook Island