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03-03-2009, 05:34 PM
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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
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.
Advertisement Advertisement
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