Brother missing after two tied to esky in terrifying night at sea
The friend of a man rescued at sea after a freezing night clinging to the hull of a sinking boat is still missing with the search being widened off Mackay. NEW PHOTOS
Police & Courts
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A frantic search and rescue mission off the Mackay coast is continuing for a man missing for almost 20 hours, with two people already winched to safety by helicopter crews after a harrowing night at sea after their boat was capsized by a rogue wave overnight.
It can be revealed a 41-year-old Grasstree Beach man still missing is the brother another man rescued. Police hold serious concerns for his welfare.
Mackay Whitsunday Water Police search and rescue coordinator Senior Constable Syrrell Howard said police were still hopeful of finding the third man alive.
“All search and rescue efforts are conducted until such time as there is no hope,” he said.
He said there were initial reports crewman on the RACQ CQ Rescue chopper had seen a man clinging to the hull of the overturned vessel overnight, but it was unclear which of the three men this was.
“Once they got in closer it appears for some unknown reason the man has become detached from the vessel,” Senior Constable Howard said.
“They tried to reposition their aircraft but were unable to see him again.”
He said the chopper was unable to winch down because of low fuel and poor lighting and there were no vessels in the area at the time “so there was no ability to provide him with any support or rescue him”.
“At that stage the prospects for him were somewhat grim,” Senior Constable Howard said.
Senior Constable Howard described the overturn vessel as a 6.7m fibreglass hull centre console, similar to a banana boat, that had been registered to the parents of the brothers.
The vessel left Mackay on Monday or Tuesday with three people onboard.
“We believe the purpose of their trip was to recreationally fish,” he said, adding the exact path wasn’t known but the vessel ended up at Creal Reef where the EPIRB was set off about 8.10pm Thursday.
“They all seem to have a varying amount of seamanship experience,” Senior Constable Howard said.
“They are recorded as being owners of boats… and holding boat licenses.”
Rescue efforts were initially hindered because the emergency locator beacon was not registered to the vessel the trio were on, as well as the light conditions and remote area.
VMR left about 9pm with an estimated arrival time of five to six hours, Senior Constable Howard said.
“They didn’t have the capability to search at that time… their intention was to be there when required and a search to commence at first light,” he said.
Aircraft were in the air overnight and about 5.55am an AMSA raised Challenger jet sighted a man in the water and he was picked up by the VMR vessel.
Then about 11.10am the RACQ CQ Rescue chopper spotted a second man in the water.
Senior Constable Howard said he was able to give some chronology to what had occurred, but some of the information from one of the rescued men suggested he “was still in shock”.
“We have a more defined search area based on the information that we have and we’re continuing to conduct aerial and… surface searches and we have additional vessels out there,” he said.
Searching has ramped up for the missing brother who has been in the water for nearing 20 hours. It is unknown if he had a life jacket on.
“We always undertake these searches with the mindset of being able to bring good news back to the family,” he said.
“As time lapses obviously that becomes a concern for us.”
Senior Constable Howard said there had been an inspection on the vessel after it overturned in 2021 and checks at the time revealed it was safety compliant.
The rescue efforts for the missing man will continue however Senior Constable Howard said there were limitations at night with reduced visibility and the remote location.
Two men winched to safety after harrowing hours at sea
About midday, RACQ CQ Rescue transported a 43-year-old Bray Park man to Mackay Base Hospital in a serious but stable condition for treatment after he was winched from the open ocean about 170km offshore in the Creal Reef area about 11am.
The recreational fisherman from the Moreton Bay region had spent up to 16 hours in the water.
It comes after a 44-year-old Grasstree Beach man was earlier Friday morning winched to safety and flown to hospital in a serious condition, after spending up to 10 hours in the ocean, before being picked up by a VMR vessel.
About 10.30am, the Townsville-based Rescue 500 helicopter touched down at Mackay Base Hospital and was met by doctors and staff who rushed the survivor inside for treatment.
It was initially reported only two people were on the boat before it capsized, but the Grasstree Beach man told rescuers there was a third person lost.
The Mackay-based RACQ CQ Rescue crew was sent back out to join the search on Friday morning and remarkably located the man – the same person spotted by the crew last night on the hull of an overturned boat during a search after an EPIRB activation at Creal Reef.
An RACQ CQ Rescue spokesperson said the man told the chopper crew a wave hit them about 8.30pm and that there were three people on board the seven-metre Goodwin Longboard – himself and two brothers.
“All three were in the water after the boat sank and the two brothers tied themselves to a blue esky,” the spokesperson said.
“They have somehow all become separated.
“The man was spotted by RACQ CQ Rescue floating with no lifejacket and no clothes on within five minutes of them commencing a search of the area.
‘HE SAW THE HELICOPTER FLYING OFF’
“He is suffering exposure, dehydration, hypothermia after being in the water since 8.30pm last night. He is also in and out of consciousness.”
The spokesperson said confirming it was the same man as spotted by RACQ CQ Rescue last night – he told crews he saw the helicopter circling overhead and then flying off.
“As part of the search early this morning, Volunteer Marine Rescue has retrieved another man from the water and Townsville helicopter Rescue 500 has winched him and transported him to Mackay Base Hospital in a serious condition.
“One person is believed to be still missing and the search will continue.”
Police in the Whitsundays are expected to provide an update to media on the unfolding situation later this afternoon.
The multi-agency operation has been underway since an EPIRB was activated about 8.10pm Thursday on a boat that left Mackay Harbour with three people on board.
About 9.30pm the RACQ-CQ Rescue chopper was called to help in the search at Creal Reef, about 150km east of Mackay.
An RACQ CQ Rescue spokeswoman said the chopper crew was able to hone in on the distress beacon signal and determined the EPIRB was located at the bottom of the reef.
“A continued search of the area by the crew using Night Vision Goggles and the spotlight in very dark conditions revealed an overturned vessel nearby,” she said.
After circling the area a few times the crew spotted a person clinging to the hull of the overturned boat, the chopper was not able to perform an aerial rescue.
“Given serious fuel restraints, the dark night, distance from shore and the 40 minutes already spent on scene, the helicopter was forced to return to base,” the RACQ CQ Rescue spokeswoman said.
“The visual of the survivor and co-ordinates were reported immediately to search co-ordinators Joint Rescue Coordination Centre at the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.”
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said an overturned boat was found about 12.30am Friday.
The joint search and rescue also involves Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay, which is currently in the process of getting more assets on the water to join the search.
It is understood there are currently helicopters, planes and a VMR vessel, however there are difficulties with search area and its distance from the mainland.
More to come.
Originally published as Brother missing after two tied to esky in terrifying night at sea
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