By Ron Lane
Four men including one in his seventies can count themselves lucky after their boat overturned crossing the Noosa Bar at 6am Saturday morning and they were rescued by members of surf life savings Emergency Rescue Group (ERG).
Responding immediately to a call out that a small craft had overturned an IRB crew of Joe Cirillo and Ian Widdicombe, plus Wave Runner Jet Rescue Ski Driver David James, were launched from the Noosa Surf Club. Proceeding into the Bar the craft was found overturned and the IRB crewman Ian Widdicombe immediately entered the water, searching the upturned vessel which was found to be empty.
The crewman returned to the IRB then proceeded out sea, where supported by the Wave Runner they commenced a search pattern. During the search a tinny was sighted. People in the tinny had spotted the missing people in the water and dragged them on to their boat. They were cold and in shock. The IRB crew immediately took them on board and they were transported back to the surf club where police and Queensland Ambulance Service personal put them through the mandatory breathalyzer and health check. “They were lucky,” said a spokesperson, “none of them were wearing lifejackets and the water was very cold.”
Immediately following this another rescue occurred again in the Noosa Bar. This time four people were in the water after an outrigger over turned; on this occasion the Wave Runner and the Lifeguard Adam McKane responded. “This one was a better situation as all four were wearing life jackets and had the sense to stay together,” said a spokesman.
“What do we have to do to make people understand?” asked IRB Driver Joe Cirillo. “When travelling through the Noosa Bar they must wear life jackets. The second rescue was easy as all four were wearing their jackets, but above that they had the sense to stay together. Remember life jackets are essential through bars and on long trips”
