Two men missing after boats collide on Qld coast, others seriously injured

A boatie woken up by a “bang” has recounted how his catamaran was struck by a tinny as police comb waterways for possibly two missing men.

Police are desperately trying to determine whether two men are still missing after reports they were four people in a boat involved in a collision in a busy waterway.

A small tinny crashed into a harbour marker before colliding with a catamaran on the Broadwater at Southport, on the Gold Coast, in the early hours of Friday morning.
Emergency services were contacted by a member of the public about 5.20am local time after seeing an unmanned boat at Runaway Bay.

Emergency services were called to an area off Runaway Bay following reports of a collision between two boats. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Two men are still missing. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Senior Sergeant Peter Venz said there were “conflicting versions” about how many people were on-board the vessel, with one man claiming there were four and another man stating only two were on-board.

Sergeant Venz said at least one man was thrown into the water, while the skipper was significantly injured and was “lodged in the boat in a position where he couldn’t be removed”.

“That boat has then lost control and was spinning out of control out there in the broadwater before it has struck a 12m catamaran that was in anchor,“ Sergeant Venz said.

Police have retrieved one of the boats involved in the collision. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

“That’s alerted the captain of that ship who’s then got out of bed and saw the vessel spinning out of control.”

The captain, David Crossley, spotted the injured skipper and killed the boat’s transmission.

The owner of one of the boats, David Crossley, rescued the injured skipper of the boat that crashed into him. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Speaking to reporters, Mr Crossley said he woke up after hearing a noise and then heard another “bang” when the boat crashed into his vessel.

“It banged into the boat and I ran up on deck and this thing’s going round and round in circles,” he said.

“It didn’t come back, it glanced the boat behind us. Then all of a sudden everything went quiet.”

Mr Crossely said he “helped another seafarer in trouble” by hopping into his own dinghy to tow the boat to the nearby South Currigee campground on Stradbroke Island, where campers tried to give the injured 34-year-old man first aid until emergency services arrived.

Meanwhile, a 36-year-old man who was on-board swam to Paradise Point.

Both men were assessed and taken to Gold Coast University Hospital for cold exposure as well as injuries to their legs and arms.

It’s understood the boat crashed into this pole. Picture: NCA NewsWire

A photo from Queensland Police of people on the boat. Picture: NCA NewsWire.

One man remains in a serious condition with significant injuries while the other was stable.

It’s believed two other men might have fallen into the water.

Water Police are searching for the remaining men, with the assistance of Volunteer Marine Rescue, and civilian boats.

The police dive squad was on standby.

It’s understood the two men taken to hospital may not speak English, which has caused confusion for rescuers.

Superintendent Tim Mowle said the search would continue until police knew how many men were actually on-board the tinny when it crashed.

“It’s ongoing, there was early reports there were additional occupants in the vessel and we’re just trying to firm that out,” he said.

“Early indications are that there were only two occupants of the vessel, but we’re just making sure. 

“Until we confirm 100 per cent we’re still out on the waterway conducting those searches.”

The tinny involved has being taken back to shore.