Saturday 6 February, the Charlie watch crew were having lunch when we received a call from the Manly Skiff Club, that a vessel had overturned near the Gawlland Bombora & was drifting towards Crater Cove. While the crew of MH-20 was getting ready to depart the duty wharf another manly Skiff Club vessel notified MR Sydney of the incident. As it was a notifiable incident MR Sydney notified the MAC while MH20 was on its way to the scene.
On MH-20’s arrival, the Manly Skiff Rescue vessel had already picked up the 2 children. The owner of the vessel was sitting on the bow of the vessel, which was the only part of the vessel above the waterline. A towline was passed to him & was made fast to the bow of the vessel. The owner then swam to MH-20. The vessel was then taken in tow with the intention to beach the vessel at Clontarf to pump it out. At around 350m off Washaway Beach the vessel sank. A fender was tied to the towline & then the towline was cut so as to mark the location of the sunken vessel.
MH-20 then met up with the Manly Skiff club rescue vessel off Castle Rock in calmer conditions to transfer the children. Sydney VTS was also notified of the incident & checked that the relevant environmental services were being notified.
As the 2 children where suffering from mild shock & a bump to the head & chest and with the chance of secondary drowning in the back of ones mind, NSW Ambulance was called as a precaution. NSW Ambulance arrived at our base after our return & the 2 children & 1 adult were assessed.
From this incident we can learn that one must always be on the lookout on the water and with the current advertising campaign that wearing a life jacket never spoilt a day on the water.
Keep safe & stay safe everyone.
