reel_success Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Five people have been killed in a collision between two boats on Sydney Harbour early this morning. Nine others have been injured, and three are in a critical condition, authorities said. SMH article terrible news Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgey Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) This is a very tragic incident. Our sincere condolences to all the families concerned. Hodgey Edited April 30, 2008 by Hodgey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arpie Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) OMG! That is shocking! Just saw some news of it on TV. Seems a fishing trawler ran up the rear of a working boat that had 14 people on it. Four young women and one young man killed - it now appears the 14 were in a runabout that was licenced for 8 people - a 24ft ex navy workboat. The owner (salvage operator) apparantly had no knowledge of the boat being on the harbour & has accounted for all his employees, so believes the boat may have been stolen. Condolences to all families involved. Roberta Cam, I couldn't open your link - hopefully this one will work http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/harbou...9234987504.html Edited April 30, 2008 by Roberta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hobbitt Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Roberta, I was able to open your link, these accidents are becoming way to frequent, and of course my thoughts are with those concerned. Let us all take care out on the water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelican Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) The reporting is pretty poor and sensationalist at the minute. It will no doubt calm down when there are a few more facts avaliable. We should all be careful with our comments as there will be a coroners report and I already know some things said on TV are incorrect. Position of the boats in the bay and so on let alone media people making assumptions of carrying capacity of a survey boat. Photos show pretty bad damage to a very very tough hull so there must have been a big impact. With both being commercial vessels I think it made an big difference that both are still afloat. Likely to be independent witnesses to it as several boats came to the aid of those in the water. Very sad and hope those injured recover and condolences to the families of those who have passed away. Interesting that with that many injuries only one person ended up in the water. Other reports are different. Hope this thread stays open and follows all the media right through to the coroners report so we all know what went wrong. Pel Text of SMH article ( SMH updates articles so is often hard to find them later in the same format) http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/harbou...9234987504.html Harbour smash: five dead Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Arjun Ramachandran May 1, 2008 - 8:43AM It's very hard for these guys on the harbour at night, a lot of boats have inadequate lighting and tend to anchor in the channel rather than to the side of the channelLatest related coverage Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. 14 on board boat designed for 8: police Boat in crash 'stolen' Rudd laments tragedy It's a terrible tragedy: Iemma Previous incidents on the Harbour Advertisement Five people have been killed in a collision between two boats on Sydney Harbour early this morning. One of the boats was reportedly stolen. Of the five dead, four were females and one was male. All were aged in their late teens and early 20s. Nine others were injured. Three remain in hospital, with one in a critical condition, authorities said. -------------- Do you know more? Message 0424 SMS SMH (+61 424 767 764) or email us with information or images. -------------- "At approximately 2.45am this morning, approximately 150 metres off Bradley's Point, two vessels have collided," Acting Inspector Tony Bear told reporters at the scene. "As a result of that collision five people have died and nine others have been transported to Royal North Shore Hospital. "At this stage police are investigating the vessels involvement, both vessels have been impounded and will be secured at the Marine Area Command. "I can only tell you that they were on the harbour legally." Both the boats are currently docked at Police Marine Area Command at Balmain. All of the dead and injured were believed to be from the stolen boat, a navy blue vessel with 'Sydney Ship Repair' written on the side. The back of the boat appeared to be significantly damaged. The other vessel was a much larger single-cabin fishing trawler, which apparently didn't know it had hit the smaller vessel, Sky News reported. A Royal North Shore Hospital spokeswoman said eight of the injured were men, aged 19, 20, 21, 22, 30 and 31. An 18-year-old woman was in a serious condition. "We have three who are critically ill," she told reporters. Emergency registrar Dr Andrew Rochford said all three of the seriously injured people were now out of resucitation, while the most seriously injured, a 30-year-old man with head injuries, was being operated on. He will be moved to intensive care after, Dr Rochford said. He said the man had severe and multiple injuries to his head, his left arm and his chest. "When he came to us he was in a situation that was very significant and very critical," Dr Rochford said. The victims had injuries ranging from serious head, chest and spinal injuries through to scrapes and bruises, but Dr Rochford said they were in shock. "A lot of them are in a significant amount of shock. That time of the morning, being in the water for some time, some of them were quite cold. "Both mentally and physically, a few of them are worse for wear." Injured leave hospital Six of the injured taken to Royal North Shore, had been assessed and are being discharged. They were men aged 19, 21, 22, 31 and 24. Dr Rochford said that descriptions by some of the injured about what had happened were vague. "A lot of them aren't really sure what happened. A lot of them are really shaken and aren't really sure what went on." Sydney Fish Market managing director Grahame Turk said the fishing trawler appeared to be a local cray fishing boat. "I've been told by fishermen down on our wharf that it was a local boat, a crayfishing boat, but I can't confirm that," he said. The fishing boat was most likely returning to the wharves after fishing, he said. "It's very hard for these guys on the harbour at night, a lot of boats have inadequate lighting and tend to anchor in the channel rather than to the side of the channel." Mr Turk said the fishing boat usually operated offshore in deep water fishing for eastern rock lobsters. The boat was about 30ft long. He described the regular operator of the boat as "very well-experienced" and said he had been operating for at least 15 years. "He wouldn't have been carrying a big load, you don't get huge loads of lobster," Mr Turk said. There were usually two people aboard the boat, although Mr Turk could not say how many were on board this morning. Inspector Bear would not comment on the types of vessels involved. Passing vessels raised the alarm when the two boats collided around 2.45am and helped pull the injured out of the water. "At this stage all I can tell you is it appears that one vessel has the major damage and that vehicle appears to have held all victims," Inspector Bear said. "To the best of our knowledge all persons were plucked from the harbour in a very short period of time after the accident." Inspector Bear, who was one of the first on the scene, said crews from passing vessels helped in the rescue. "Members of the public have come to the assistance of the victims and, as a result, coordinated effort between all emergency services have transported those people to Taronga Park wharf," Inspector Bear said. "There were a number of other vessels that did help out and did a very good job in helping those they were able to help back to shore." The stern of the smaller boat appeared to have been seriously damaged, while the other vessel appeared to escape relatively unscathed, reports from the scene said. However, Inspector Bear would not comment on the vessels, or why 14 people were on a small boat at that time of the morning. "That will be part of the major investigation by Marine Area Command," he said. "At this stage, as far as I can comment, we have not yet fully interviewed any of the victims at this point in time. "As the infancy of the investigation has just started, I'll not be able to comment on anything else." Both vessels have been take to Marine Area Command (MAC) at Balmain. Inspector Bear has urged any witnesses to contact police. The Nine Network reported that the fishing trawler may not have known that it had struck the small work boat. Water police pulled the trawler up as it approached North Head, Nine said. The accident comes just over a year since four people were killed when a boat and ferry collided under the harbour bridge. NSW Ambulance Sydney north district inspector Stephanie Radnich said it was initially unclear where on the Harbour the accident had occurred. "There were a number of (triple 0) calls which led us to believe there were a number of persons injured on the Harbour, but at that point in time it was unclear to exactly how many were injured, and exactly where it was initially," she told Fairfax Radio Network. She said the early scene at Taronga Wharf was chaotic. "Basically I was confronted with a large number of police and other ambulance officers attempting to sort out and triage a number of patients off the vessels with a variety of different injuries," she said. "It was pitch black, it was quite cool, we did have a helicopter which had been deployed to the scene to assist and manage the patients. "At that early stage it was extremely difficult case in trying to determine how many patients we did have." - with Daniel Emerson, Dylan Welch and AAP ________________________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/14-on-...9235001437.html 14 on board boat designed for 8: police Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Arjun Ramachandran and Daniel Emerson May 1, 2008 - 9:00AM Latest related coverage Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. Harbour smash: five dead Boat in crash 'stolen' Rudd laments tragedy It's a terrible tragedy: Iemma Previous incidents on the Harbour Advertisement Acting Commander Glenn Finniss from the Marine Area Command said the fishing trawler had been travelling out to sea and the runabout - being described as an ex-navy dive boat- had been heading into shore when the boats collided on Sydney Harbour this morning He could not say how fast the boats were travelling at impact or how many people had ended up in the water. Asked by reporters if the boat was stolen, Acting Commander Finniss said no. The runabout was only licensed to carry eight people, he said. "It's a commercial vessel used to transport people from one side of the harbour to the other," he said. But it was being used for non commercial purposes at the time, he said. "They were out doing social activities." He said the runabout had sustained damage to its bow and stern. Most of the people involved in the accident were believed to be from the Sydney area, he said. More than 50 emergency services personnel as well as members of the public had helped in the rescue operation. The two people aboard the fishing trawler, one of whom notified police of the accident, had also assisted. To many other questions, Acting Commander Finniss simply said "that will all be part of the investigation". The coroner was investigating the incident. Mr McPherson disputed media reports that a subcontractor may have taken the boat on an unauthorised trip. "Not that I am aware of," he said. "We don't know who has taken it." At water police headquarters at Balmain, police had erected a small blue tent near where the runabout was docked as part of their investigations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________--- http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/boat-i...9234998229.html Boat in crash 'stolen' Daniel Emerson May 1, 2008 - 8:35AM One of two boats involved in a fatal collision on Sydney Harbour early this morning was not out on official business when the crash happened, a company spokesman says. Five people died when a small half cabin cruiser work boat, with 14 people on board, was in a collison with a trawler at about 2.45am. The smaller boat is owned Sydney Ship Repair and Engineering, based on Goat Island. John McPherson, managing director of Sydney Smash Repairs and Towing, which owned the smaller vessel, said the boat had been stolen. He had no idea how 14 people came to be on board the vessel. "We are trying to find out ourselves, someone has used the boat in the course of the night, it certainly wasn't our staff, they are all accounted for," he said. "It certainly isn't related to our company or our company's operation. We are ship repairers, we repair tug boats. We are not charter boats, we don't take people on joy rides around the harbour. "It's certainly been stolen and used unauthorised by someone." Mr McPherson said the boat had been berthed as usual at 5pm last night in its bay at a private marina off Darling Street in Balmain, about five kilometres from the crash site. He said the keys to the vessel were kept in a "secret spot on board''. "The boat is a seaworthy boat that can travel anywhere in the harbour but our company would have no reason to be in that area of the harbour," he said. "Its only licensed to carry eight people anyway. It's an 8-metre half cabin work boat that we use to transport our staff. At 5pm its tied up it its berth and not used til the next morning. "It's absolutely horrible what's happened. We are all saddened and devastated by what's happened. Everyone just can't believe that this has occurred." Edited April 30, 2008 by pelican Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelican Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 (edited) http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/harbou...ge#contentSwap2 Harbour smash: five dead Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Arjun Ramachandran May 1, 2008 - 8:43AM It's very hard for these guys on the harbour at night, a lot of boats have inadequate lighting and tend to anchor in the channel rather than to the side of the channelLatest related coverage Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. Five people have been killed in a collision between two boats on Sydney Harbour early this morning. One of the boats was reportedly stolen. Of the five dead, four were females and one was male. All were aged in their late teens and early 20s. Nine others were injured. Three remain in hospital, with one in a critical condition, authorities said. "At approximately 2.45am this morning, approximately 150 metres off Bradley's Point, two vessels have collided," Acting Inspector Tony Bear told reporters at the scene. "As a result of that collision five people have died and nine others have been transported to Royal North Shore Hospital. "At this stage police are investigating the vessels involvement, both vessels have been impounded and will be secured at the Marine Area Command. "I can only tell you that they were on the harbour legally." Both the boats are currently docked at Police Marine Area Command at Balmain. All of the dead and injured were believed to be from the stolen boat, a navy blue vessel with 'Sydney Ship Repair' written on the side. The back of the boat appeared to be significantly damaged. The other vessel was a much larger single-cabin fishing trawler, which apparently didn't know it had hit the smaller vessel, Sky News reported. A Royal North Shore Hospital spokeswoman said eight of the injured were men, aged 19, 20, 21, 22, 30 and 31. An 18-year-old woman was in a serious condition. "We have three who are critically ill," she told reporters. Emergency registrar Dr Andrew Rochford said all three of the seriously injured people were now out of resucitation, while the most seriously injured, a 30-year-old man with head injuries, was being operated on. He will be moved to intensive care after, Dr Rochford said. He said the man had severe and multiple injuries to his head, his left arm and his chest. "When he came to us he was in a situation that was very significant and very critical," Dr Rochford said. The victims had injuries ranging from serious head, chest and spinal injuries through to scrapes and bruises, but Dr Rochford said they were in shock. "A lot of them are in a significant amount of shock. That time of the morning, being in the water for some time, some of them were quite cold. "Both mentally and physically, a few of them are worse for wear." Injured leave hospital Six of the injured taken to Royal North Shore, had been assessed and are being discharged. They were men aged 19, 21, 22, 31 and 24. Dr Rochford said that descriptions by some of the injured about what had happened were vague. "A lot of them aren't really sure what happened. A lot of them are really shaken and aren't really sure what went on." Sydney Fish Market managing director Grahame Turk said the fishing trawler appeared to be a local cray fishing boat. "I've been told by fishermen down on our wharf that it was a local boat, a crayfishing boat, but I can't confirm that," he said. The fishing boat was most likely returning to the wharves after fishing, he said. "It's very hard for these guys on the harbour at night, a lot of boats have inadequate lighting and tend to anchor in the channel rather than to the side of the channel." Mr Turk said the fishing boat usually operated offshore in deep water fishing for eastern rock lobsters. The boat was about 30ft long. He described the regular operator of the boat as "very well-experienced" and said he had been operating for at least 15 years. "He wouldn't have been carrying a big load, you don't get huge loads of lobster," Mr Turk said. There were usually two people aboard the boat, although Mr Turk could not say how many were on board this morning. Inspector Bear would not comment on the types of vessels involved. Passing vessels raised the alarm when the two boats collided around 2.45am and helped pull the injured out of the water. "At this stage all I can tell you is it appears that one vessel has the major damage and that vehicle appears to have held all victims," Inspector Bear said. "To the best of our knowledge all persons were plucked from the harbour in a very short period of time after the accident." Inspector Bear, who was one of the first on the scene, said crews from passing vessels helped in the rescue. "Members of the public have come to the assistance of the victims and, as a result, coordinated effort between all emergency services have transported those people to Taronga Park wharf," Inspector Bear said. "There were a number of other vessels that did help out and did a very good job in helping those they were able to help back to shore." The stern of the smaller boat appeared to have been seriously damaged, while the other vessel appeared to escape relatively unscathed, reports from the scene said. However, Inspector Bear would not comment on the vessels, or why 14 people were on a small boat at that time of the morning. "That will be part of the major investigation by Marine Area Command," he said. "At this stage, as far as I can comment, we have not yet fully interviewed any of the victims at this point in time. "As the infancy of the investigation has just started, I'll not be able to comment on anything else." Both vessels have been take to Marine Area Command (MAC) at Balmain. Inspector Bear has urged any witnesses to contact police. The Nine Network reported that the fishing trawler may not have known that it had struck the small work boat. Water police pulled the trawler up as it approached North Head, Nine said. The accident comes just over a year since four people were killed when a boat and ferry collided under the harbour bridge. NSW Ambulance Sydney north district inspector Stephanie Radnich said it was initially unclear where on the Harbour the accident had occurred. "There were a number of (triple 0) calls which led us to believe there were a number of persons injured on the Harbour, but at that point in time it was unclear to exactly how many were injured, and exactly where it was initially," she told Fairfax Radio Network. She said the early scene at Taronga Wharf was chaotic. "Basically I was confronted with a large number of police and other ambulance officers attempting to sort out and triage a number of patients off the vessels with a variety of different injuries," she said. "It was pitch black, it was quite cool, we did have a helicopter which had been deployed to the scene to assist and manage the patients. "At that early stage it was extremely difficult case in trying to determine how many patients we did have." - with Daniel Emerson, Dylan Welch and AAP __________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/previo...9234997747.html Previous incidents on the Harbour Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font May 2, 2008 Latest related coverage Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. 2005 January 17: Manly ferry Queenscliff runs into a yacht off Bradleys Head. No injuries. March 4: Manly ferry Collaroy ploughs into Circular Quay after its control system fails. No injuries. May 26: Manly ferry Narrabeen crashes into Circular Quay. Two passengers suffer minor injuries. September 19: Manly ferry Collaroy runs into Circular Quay. A report finds no one was at the helm at the time. Two of the 200 passengers on board suffer minor injuries. Sydney Ferries head steps down after drug and alcohol tests following the crash are bungled. September 23: RiverCat Betty Cuthbert runs into Circular Quay. No passengers on board. 2006 January 11: Betty Cuthbert hits a luxury cruiser, which becomes wedged in its hulls. It was the third crash involving the ferry in two years. An investigation found it was moving too fast. February: HarbourCat Anne Sargeant runs aground on a sandbank. September 23: RiverCat Evonne Goolagong, carrying 115 passengers, collides with a small sailing boat near Cockatoo Island, injuring two people. December 6: Manly ferry Collaroy collides with a yacht, forcing two people to dive into the water near Georges Head. No injuries. 2007 January 5: RiverCat Dawn Fraser runs into a small fishing boat off Dawes Point, injuring a fisherman and sending his son into shock. Fisherman dies eight days later. March 22: First Fleet Class ferry Sirius suffers a technical fault and fails to stop in Darling Harbour, colliding with a cruise ship. No injuries. March 28: Four people died after a 30-metre catamaran, the Pam Burridge, slammed into the Merinda, a 10-metre wooden cruiser, as it, headed back to Balmain after dropping off its last passengers at Circular Quay. Edited April 30, 2008 by pelican Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelican Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fisher...9235019285.html Fisherman in harbour tragedy identified Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font The fishing boat involved in the accident. Photo: Peter Rae Latest related coverage Crash on Sydney Harbour Video: Five people have been killed in a boat crash on Sydney Harbour. Boat tragedy: Iemma's sympathy Video: Iemma provides details of the boat crash that killed five and wounded a further nine people. Fatal Harbour boat crash Audio, photos: Boat owner claims no knowledge, Iemma mourns "beautiful" victims. Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. Arjun Ramachandran and Ellie Harvey May 1, 2008 - 2:00PM A commercial fisherman well-known among Sydney's fishing community is believed to have been behind the wheel of a trawler that collided with another boat on Sydney Harbour. It is understood that the fisherman, Peter Evans, has more than 20 years' experience and used to work for a popular seafood restaurant. However, he had recently gone out on his own and was a successful blue eye cod fisherman. It is still unclear how the accident occurred. At 1.30 pm, Mr Evans was being questioned by police at Marine Police Command at Balmain alongside his boat, which was docked at the marine headquarters. One fisherman, who only wanted to be known as Richie, said he drove past the accident area about an hour after it happened. He said Peter Evans had been driving vessels all his life and was confident on the water. "He's a professional, he's been fishing for many years,'' he said. A fisherman, who did not want to be named, said Mr Evans had had a great deal of luck lately fishing for blue eye cod, which he supplies to markets. It is understood Mr Evans's boat left Blackwattle Bay at Sydney's Fish Markets about 2.30am today, heading for Browns Mountain to fish for blue eye cod. The trap boat was a Steber 41 single engine, which typically travels at 16 to 17 knots __________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/police...9235001437.html Police investigate boat speed Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Latest related coverage Crash on Sydney Harbour Video: Five people have been killed in a boat crash on Sydney Harbour. Boat tragedy: Iemma's sympathy Video: Iemma provides details of the boat crash that killed five and wounded a further nine people. Fatal Harbour boat crash Audio, photos: Boat owner claims no knowledge, Iemma mourns "beautiful" victims. Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. View Larger Map Arjun Ramachandran and Daniel Emerson May 1, 2008 - 10:35AM A small boat involved in a fatal collision on Sydney Harbour overnight was carrying 14 people although it was designed to accommodate only eight, police say. Acting Commander Glenn Finniss from the Marine Area Command said the fishing trawler had been travelling out to sea and the runabout - being described as a former navy dive boat - had been heading into shore when the boats collided. He could not say how fast the boats were travelling at impact or how many people had ended up in the water. Asked by reporters if the boat was stolen, Mr Finniss said: 'No.' The runabout was licensed to carry eight people, he said. "It's a commercial vessel used to transport people from one side of the harbour to the other," he said. But it was being used for non-commercial purposes at the time, he said. "They were out doing social activities." He said the runabout had sustained damage to its bow and stern. Most of the people involved in the accident were believed to be from the Sydney area, he said. More than 50 emergency services personnel as well as members of the public had helped in the rescue operation. The two people aboard the fishing trawler, one of whom notified police of the accident, had also assisted. To many other questions, Mr Finniss said: "That will all be part of the investigation." The coroner was investigating the accident. John McPherson, managing director of Sydney Smash Repairs and Towing, which owned the smaller vessel, disputed media reports that a subcontractor might have taken the boat on an unauthorised trip. "Not that I am aware of," he said. "We don't know who has taken it." At Water Police headquarters at Balmain, police have erected a small blue tent near where the runabout was docked as part of their investigations. ______________________________________________________________________________ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/analys...9235004105.html Analysis: Linton Besser Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Linton Besser, Transport Reporter May 1, 2008 - 9:28AM Latest related coverage Crash on Sydney Harbour Video: Five people have been killed in a boat crash on Sydney Harbour. Boat tragedy: Iemma's sympathy Video: Iemma provides details of the boat crash that killed five and wounded a further nine people. Fatal Harbour boat crash Audio, photos: Boat owner claims no knowledge, Iemma mourns "beautiful" victims. Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. Five killed in late-night Sydney Harbour boat crash Fisherman in harbour tragedy identified Boat in crash 'stolen' Police investigate boat speed Morgan Innes's dad shares families' pain Rudd laments tragedy Every parent's worst nightmare: Iemma Previous incidents on the Harbour Advertisement In late March, the NSW transport safety watchdog formally recognised the hazards of operating a private vessel on Sydney Harbour. The 112-page report to the State Government urged sweeping reforms to the way NSW Maritime regulates not only Sydney Harbour, but all NSW waterways. But these are reforms that the State Government has been, so far, reluctant to contemplate, not least because they would require a massive overhaul of recreational boating. The report by the Office of Transport Safety Investigations examined why a 27-metre HarbourCat, the Pam Burridge, and a nine-metre pleasure cruiser, the Merinda, collided under the Harbour Bridge 13 months ago, killing four people on board the Merinda. It was one of the worst accidents in Sydney Ferries' history but, although the report said the ferry master was travelling too fast, the report found fault lay largely at the helm of the Merinda - and with the way Sydney Harbour is regulated. The Merinda was found to have not been displaying navigational lights when the accident happened - it was just before 11pm - and that its crew was not keeping a proper lookout. It is too early, of course, to draw direct parallels with the tragic accident this morning in which five people were killed and nine were injured. But at the moment, anyone can operate any vessel at all, at any time of night, at speeds below 10 knots, without a licence. They can even carry as many passengers as the boat will allow. This was the central problem highlighted by OTSI. In particular, it urged the Government to "remove, or further qualify the provision that allows unlicensed persons to operate a vessel in NSW, provided they do so at less than 10 knots". The mandatory licensing would ensure "that vessels capable of carrying a significant number of passengers or attaining high speeds are not operated by other than a person holding a boating licence". It also made it clear that operating a vessel at night required a level of competency that many on the water do not possess. "Examine the feasibility of permitting only licensed persons to operate a vessel between sunset and sunrise in NSW," it said. When the report was released, NSW Maritime said only that it would "carefully review and consider" the reforms. The reluctance is unsurprising - there are thousands of boaties in Sydney who run around the harbour on a tinny, and to licence them all, and regulate their actions, is an enormous enforcement task. But now, in the wake of this accident, it appears new pressure will be brought to bear on NSW Maritime to act on this central problem highlighted by the report. Whatever findings are made about this morning's collision, the State Government must do more than just make noises about reform. _______________________________________________________________________________________ http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/five-k...ge#contentSwap2 Five killed in late-night Sydney Harbour boat crash Arjun Ramachandran, Jordan Baker, Dylan Welch, Daniel Emerson and Jonathan Dart May 1, 2008 - 2:34PM Tap refresh/reload for latest · Boat owners' relative quizzed · Nine in hospital · Fisherman identified · Alcohol and speed investigated A runabout involved in a fatal collision with a fishing boat on Sydney Harbour early this morning was not out on official business when the crash happened, the owner says. It is understood a relative of the runabout's owners, John and Colin McPherson, took the boat last night, and is being interviewed by police at Royal North Shore Hospital. The male relative is believed to be one of 14 people on board the small, half-cabin metal runabout. Nine survived and were taken to Royal North Shore Hospital, while five - four women and a man - were killed. All the dead were aged in their late teens and early 20s. -------------- -------------- Police are trying to determine if alcohol is a factor. The runabout, licensed for eight, collided with a fishing boat about 2.45am 150 metres off Bradleys Point. A Royal North Shore Hospital spokeswoman said a 30-year-old man with severe head injuries remained in a critical condition and a 31-year-old man with spinal injuries was now in a serious, but stable condition. An 18-year-old woman with spinal injuries has been moved to a ward where she is in a stable condition and is expected to be interviewed by police. Six men aged 19, 21, 22, 24, 30 and 31 with minor injuries have been discharged. Dr Andrew Rochford said that descriptions by some of the injured about what had happened were vague. "A lot of them aren't really sure what happened. A lot of them are really shaken and aren't really sure what went on." He said members of the group were crying and checking on each others' conditions throughout the morning. Unauthorised Initially, Mr McPherson, managing director of Sydney Ship Repair and Engineering, which owned the boat, said: "It's certainly been stolen and used unauthorised by someone." Later, Ray Hadley on 2GB was told that a sub-contractor for the company had taken the boat. Mr McPherson was not available to comment on that. Neither Police Minister David Campbell nor Premier Morris Iemma could say whether the runabout had been stolen but both said it was a "matter of record" it had been taken without the owner's knowledge. Police say the boats were on the harbour legally and Acting Commander Glenn Finniss from the Marine Area Command said the runabout had not been stolen. Navigation lights He said it was too early to comment on whether its navigation lights were on or off, or whether anyone was wearing life jackets. Police are interviewing the boat's owner and those on board the two vessels. "Part of the investigation will no doubt be looking at the speed aspect and also other issues in relation to who was driving this thing at the time, the degree of sobriety or any other factor," Special Services Group Assistant Commissioner Peter Parsons told Macquarie Radio. "There's a lot of questions unanswered, but my people are onto it very intensely at the moment." The two people on the fishing boat, who escaped uninjured, notified emergency services of the collision. Trawler crew raised alarm "The two-man crew on the trawler rang the alarm bells straight away after having collided with this vessel," Mr Parsons said. "There are reports that a boat with a couple of fishermen in the near vicinity went to the scene almost immediately and one went into the water to save some people. We're still trying to confirm that." Mr Iemma urged "two heroes who were fishing and who had helped with the rescue, to come forward. "You are heroes and we thank you for your courage," he said. The fisherman involved in the tragedy is understood to be Peter Evans, who had worked for a popular seafood restaurant but had recently gone out on his own. Sydney Fish Market managing director Grahame Turk said the fishing trawler appeared to be a local crayfishing boat. Inadequate lighting "It's very hard for these guys on the harbour at night, a lot of boats have inadequate lighting and tend to anchor in the channel rather than to the side of the channel." Mr Turk said the fishing boat, about 30-foot, usually operated offshore in deep water fishing for eastern rock lobsters. He described the regular operator of the boat as "very well-experienced" and said he had been operating for at least 15 years. "He wouldn't have been carrying a big load. You don't get huge loads of lobster," Mr Turk said. There were usually two people aboard the boat, although Mr Turk could not say how many were on board this morning. Passing vessels raised the alarm when the boats collided and helped pull the injured out of the water. Accident hot spot Commissioner Parsons said Water Police had been able to respond to the accident within minutes because a police boat had passed the site of the accident a short time before it occurred. The police boat was on its way to an exercise in Pittwater but had also been patrolling the area near the accident, which Mr Parsons described as an accident hot spot. Mr Parsons said police were investigating whether both boats had their lights turned on and whether alcohol had played any role in the accident. He said the collision had not been head-on. Both vessels were towed to Marine Area Command at Balmain for forensic examination. Mr Parsons said that, given the number of deaths, many would think the runabout should have suffered more damage than it did. "You've got five people deceased; surely it should have been cut in half or something of that degree,'' he said. "It's been hit pretty much to the left or right of centre, I'm not sure which, but it's been hit just off centre and the damage has been all down one side." Chaotic NSW Ambulance Sydney north district inspector Stephanie Radnich said it was initially unclear where on the harbour the accident had occurred. She said the early scene at Taronga Zoo wharf was chaotic. "Basically I was confronted with a large number of police and other ambulance officers attempting to sort out and triage a number of patients off the vessels with a variety of different injuries," she said. "It was pitch black, it was quite cool. We did have a helicopter, which had been deployed to the scene to assist and manage the patients. "At that early stage it was extremely difficult case in trying to determine how many patients we did have." The accident comes just over a year after four people were killed when a boat and ferry collided under the Harbour Bridge. - with AAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelican Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Most Odd the police boat must have passed straight past the boat with 14 people on it as it hadn't made it out the heads on a exercise going to Pittwater. Did they see it??? 14 people on a boat fishing Bradleys at night?? Lots of questions on this one but media is reporting what a politician says so hardly factual. owner says boat stolen - police say use not authorised. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/every-...9235000690.html Every parent's worst nightmare: Iemma Email Printer friendly version Normal font Large font Two young survivors of the accident leave Royal North Shore Hospital. Photo: Bob Pearce Latest related coverage Crash on Sydney Harbour Video: Five people have been killed in a boat crash on Sydney Harbour. Boat tragedy: Iemma's sympathy Video: Iemma provides details of the boat crash that killed five and wounded a further nine people. Fatal Harbour boat crash Audio, photos: Boat owner claims no knowledge, Iemma mourns "beautiful" victims. Boats collide on Harbour Gallery: Five people have died after a crash between two boats. May 1, 2008 - 12:30PM Premier Morris Iemma described this morning's fatal boat crash on Sydney Harbour as "every parent's worst nightmare". Five people - four women and a man aged in their late teens and early 20s - died after a fishing trawler and a 23 foot half-cabin cruiser with 14 people on board collided off Bradleys Head at 2.40am. Mr Iemma said police were still identifying the victims, and that not all direct relatives had been notified yet. Six, possibly seven, of the injured had been released from hospital, he said. Mr Iemma urged "two heroes", members of the public who had helped with the rescue, to come forward. "You are heroes and we thank you for your courage," he said. The two people were understood to have been fishing at the time. Neither Police Minister David Campbell nor Mr Iemma could say whether the runabout had been stolen but both said it was a "matter of record" that it had been taken without the owner's knowledge. However, Mr Iemma said the victims deserved sympathy regardless of the circumstances. "These are five beautiful young people who have lost their lives, and nine who have been injured and no matter what the circumstances, your heart goes out to them and their families." "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost loved ones and those who have been injured," Mr Iemma told reporters. "It's a shocking, gut-wrenching and heartbreaking tragedy." Peter Parsons from NSW Police Special Services Group , said Water Police had been able to respond to the accident within minutes because a police boat had passed the site of the accident a short time before it occurred. The police boat was on its way to an exercise in Pittwater but had also been patrolling the area near the accident, which Mr Parsons described as an accident "hot spot". Mr Parsons said police were investigating whether both boats had their lights turned on and whether alcohol had played any role in the accident. He said the collision had not been head-on. - with AAP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Guys please dont believe what is reported as fact, unfortunately some of us know the crew involved, they were actually heading out. Wont comment on any more. On another point, Who has been out on the harbour fishing early hours and has nearly hit something? and why? I know i have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooked-Up Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 not good at all, last night i was fishing landbased at blues point near taronga and i seen that boat come past at about 8 or 8.30 heading west nothing out of the ordinary not speeding or carrying on i didnt see how many people were on it as i was trying to read the writing on the side of the boat, we left at 9.30 and then i see this on tv today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mik Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Our condolences to all concerned. We have a candle burning for them & a few little preyers. Take care out there people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BalmainBob Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Gday Raiders I have just been informed by a mate of mine that I know one of the deceased in the boating collision on the Harbour this morning. The person concerned was someone who I had daily contact with at the time . Not a close friend or mate Being a local to the area. I have my own opinoin as to what occcurred last night, after having seen some of the faces of those who were involved on the tv tonight. and having had dealings with them prior to this incedent. I emplore everyone not to speculate as to the cause of this collission and to let the Police investigate the matter for the Coroner. This will, as I fear, become a very trajic event for the people of the Balmian area as the days proceed, an event usually only seen by the somewhat regular multiple deaths that occur in accidents in the country. My condolences go out to the famillies of those killed in the collision and the those who have survived. Balmain Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelican Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 I only hope the police move fast and secure any possible footage from various cameras the port authorities, Kiribill house and other govt buildings, garden island , Clifton gardens base , antivandal cameras harbour bridge and the ones installed for APEC that overlook the harbour as it may give them factual evidence. GPS tracks and so on will help them if avaliable to determin real positions of boats. Sorry to hear that you knew of the people as it is a tragedy. With so many involved many people will be linked to this tragedy. Media as usual is quite innacurate and trying to make it a news event rather than factual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 This topic will be closed temporarliy until the Authorities make a full report and then it will be re-opened for discussion. This is an extreme tragedy for all involved I hope everyone understands Admins stance on this and you may email us or PM us with your concerns. Email is fishraider@iinet.net.au Swordfisherman (Site Admin) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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