Cairns man fined after dramatic Archer River helicopter rescue
An impatient truck driver ignoring road closure signage has been caught out by swift moving waters while trying to cross a notorious Cape York causeway. Watch the rescue video.
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A truck driver ignoring road closure signage has been caught out by swift moving waters while trying to cross a notorious Cape York causeway.
On Thursday morning a truck became stranded in the middle of the flooded river.
Due to the strong current and depth of water, at about 1.3m, the driver was unable to safely reach the far bank and police officers, dispatched from Coen, were unable to safely retrieve the driver.
A Horn Island rescue helicopter flew the 322km from the Torres Strait and winched the driver to safety from the roof of the truck.
Police said as the driver attempted to drive through the water, the truck hit a sandbank and became bogged before the rear of the truck pivoted around.
Police allege the driver, a 56-year-old Whitfield man, believed the road was open and had seen the road closed signs near the Coen Airport but drove around them.
He was issued with two traffic infringement notices amounting to $747 for disobeying a road access sign and careless driving.
Each year during the wet season motorists ignore warnings and get swept off the Archer River causeway.
Construction of a $44.87m bridge across the waterway kicked off in May 2022 and was initially due for completion this year, however issues in establishing concrete footings in the riverbed now mean the 230m bridge is unlikely to open this year.
The latest incident at the Archer River prompted a renewed call from police to keep non-essential travel to a minimum and a warning to not drive through flood waters regardless of the perceived capabilities of vehicles.
“If it’s flooded, forget it.”
If you have information about this incident contact Policelink and quote this reference number: QP2300193772
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Originally published as Cairns man fined after dramatic Archer River helicopter rescue
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