Tag: Fitzroy River

Marine safety authorities investigate New Year’s Day boat crash

January 5, 2020

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Ten people, including four children, have been injured when a boat crashed into a central Queensland river bank late on New Year’s Day.

Key points:

  • Police say a 6.5-metre recreational boat hit the Fitzroy River bank around 4:30pm on New Year’s Day
  • Ten people, including four children under 10, suffered a range of head, chest, back and limb injuries
  • It took four hours for emergency personnel to reach the incident and bring the injured back to a boat ramp because of the remote location

Police say the 6.5-metre recreational boat hit the bank of the Fitzroy River at Pink Lily, north-west of Rockhampton, around 4:30pm.

The Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) said a 62-year-old woman was flown from the scene to Rockhampton Hospital with head and chest injuries.

The others, five adults in their 30s and four children under 10, suffered a range of back, head and limb injuries and were stabilised before being taken to hospital.

One of those injured was a bystander.



Photo:
It took four hours for paramedics to stabilise all 10 patients, before bringing them back from the remote scene to families waiting at a nearby boat ramp. (ABC Capricornia: Jemima Burt)

Emergency Services were assisted by quick-thinking locals ready to lend their watercraft to help.

Nikki Gould, a health professional who was fishing by the river at the time, sprang into action.

“I’d just finished work at 3:30 and we came out, I met my partner down here and we went fishing for the afternoon and then the paramedics asked if they could borrow our boat,” she said.

“I think there were three other boats and a couple of jet skis that took off before us, so they were able to spot where the accident was.

“The children were definitely upset [and] wanting their mum and dad.

“It makes you feel like you’ve been able to help and make a difference and try and make sure everyone is OK.”



Photo:
Nikki Gould was fishing on the Fitzroy River at the time of the incident and offered her boat up to ferry emergency services to the scene. (ABC Capricornia: Jemima Burt)

It took approximately four hours for paramedics to stabilise and transport all 10 patients to their families waiting at the river’s boat ramp.

QAS spokesman Brad Miers said it was a big task given the number of injuries requiring treatment.

“We were confronted with 10 patients and all patients needed to be triaged, treated, then prioritised and transported. We wanted to bring them all together because we knew their families were waiting for them,” he said.

“The kids were really upset when they saw their family and friends here, however we’re very lucky the children had minor soft tissue injuries.

“It was fantastic the support we had from the bystanders whilst we were waiting for the SES.

“We sent both paramedic crews to the scene via private boats, which really reduced the time we could start treating our patients.”



Photo:
Emergency Services waited at a boat ramp approximately 6 kilometres south of the incident, because it was inaccessible by road. (ABC News: Jemima Burt)

Marine Safety Queensland will now investigate the incident and the damaged boat remains at the scene.

“There is significant damage to the bow of that vessel, obviously it was high impact for all 10 people on board,” Rockhampton SES controller Eddie Cowie said.

Mr Miers said he would not like to see a repeat of the accident this year.

“Today is the first day of the year, we don’t want a tragedy like this,” he said.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news

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