Image Credit: “Marine Rescue NSW,” available at Yahoo Images (11/09/2024).
In what has been described as a feat of resilience and courage, a seafarer who fell overboard from a bulk carrier off the coast of Australia spent an astonishing 24 hours in the water before being rescued. The unnamed individual reportedly managed to swim close enough to shore, where he was found by a recreational fisherman who, fortunately, was also a doctor.
The incident occurred Thursday morning when the bulk carrier Double Delight (95,522 dwt), registered in Singapore, issued a distress call approximately five miles southeast of Newcastle. The vessel, operated by Japan’s Sugahara Kisen, was en route to Australia after departing Japan on October 19. When one of the crew members failed to report for duty, a search was immediately initiated aboard the ship. Crew members recalled the last sighting of the missing individual around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday. Assuming the crew member had fallen overboard, the ship alerted the Newcastle Harbourmaster, who contacted the police and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
A successful and coordinated search effort was swiftly launched, with two boats from the volunteer Marine Rescue NSW joining forces with two Water Police boats. The search was directed by the NSW Police Marine Area Command, with assistance from a helicopter crew. Despite extensive efforts, the missing seafarer had yet to be located by Friday evening.
Remarkably, around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, a recreational fisherman, who also had medical training, was returning to shore when he discovered a person floating in the water near a beach south of Newcastle. The seafarer had managed to swim a considerable distance and was just offshore. The fisherman's quick thinking and medical expertise were crucial in the rescue. He assessed the individual, who was suffering from severe hypothermia, and contacted emergency services. Paramedics were dispatched to the scene, and the seafarer was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
By Friday night, the Double Delight had docked in Newcastle, and the search for the missing crew member was officially called off. The miraculous rescue, in which a combination of persistence, expertise, and a stroke of luck played a role, left many grateful for the fortunate outcome. The seafarer, though in a critical condition, was stable and responding well to treatment, according to hospital authorities.
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