a shocking death

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Man drowns trying to fix crashed boat
The boat hit a rock near Rangitoto. Photo / Greg Bowker
The boat hit a rock near Rangitoto. Photo / Greg Bowker
9:06AM Wednesday Mar 04, 2009

A man is dead after an horrific boating accident on Auckland's Hauraki Gulf last night.

He died when pulled into the drive shaft of the boat's engine.

He had been investigating damage below deck after the launch he and two companions were in hit a rock near Rangitoto Island.

The three men were fishing and had decided to move to a more sheltered area when they heard a bad weather forecast, police said.

As they motored to shelter the launch hit a rock and began taking on water.

The dead man went below to investigate the damage.

He lifted the floorboards to get access to the bilges and reached in to feel for damage, Sergeant John Saunders from the police maritime unit said.

"The vessel was still in gear and the drive shaft was turning."

He got caught on the drive shaft and his head was pulled under water that had flooded in from collision damage.

"The engine has stalled as a result of the entanglement," said Mr Saunders.

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His companions tried desperately to cut his clothing to free him but he was too entangled in the drive shaft.

Police and coastguard boats arrived to find the dead man "firmly wedged" under the drive shaft with his mouth below the water level.

His body could not be free and the launch was towed back to Auckland, where it was lifted out of the water and the body was recovered.

Pumps were put on the launch for the tow back but it was in danger of sinking during the tow and twice nearly capsized, Mr Saunders said.

The dead man's name would be released when his relatives had been told.

- NZPA

[Nick F]

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Five coastguard crew rescued after boat hits rocks
12:11PM Wednesday Mar 04, 2009
Five members of a Northland coastguard boat have been plucked from their damaged craft after they were hurt when it hit rocks on the way to a rescue.

The Tutukaka Coastguard inflatable rescue boat was left damaged but anchored after the five crew members were lifted off by the Northland Emergency Services Trust rescue helicopter.

The rigid-hulled boat was on the way to a callout after a yacht, Indian Summer, radioed for help.

The coastguard vessel hit rocks about 300 metres off shore at the Taiharuru River mouth near Patau South in 30 knots of wind and moderate seas.

The impact sent the five crew members sprawling, all were hurt.

Rescue helicopter pilot Pete Turnbull said the boat appeared to have hit an offshore reef.

"The boat was still floating but anchored and facing into wind.

"You could see the damage to the bow and the inflatable part around the bow."

He said three seriously hurt crew were airlifted off first and taken to Whangarei Hospital.

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"The other two decided to remain on board the boat.

"But while we were at the hospital the other two decided they should be airlifted off as well," Mr Turnbull said.

During the second winching the Indian Summer called again and said it was in immediate danger of going ashore at the mouth of the Ngunguru estuary.

Another boat was dispatched from Tutukaka to help the yacht, but it got out of trouble itself.

Coastguard Northern Region operations manager Ray Burge said a boat from Whangarei was sent to recover the damaged Coastguard vessel.

- NZPA

[safewalrus]

I guess the moral is know how water you got to run in, if its shallow go a bit slower!

Don't become a victim, you can't help anybody if you're in trouble too!