Helicopter Rescue Off Dolphin Heads Saves Local Fishermen

Three Mackay fishermen were rescued by the RACQ CQ Rescue helicopter after their boat sank off Dolphin Heads last Friday evening.

The men, a 26-year-old from Rural View, a 34-year-old from Beaconsfield, and a 29-year-old from Slade Point, had spent the day fishing in a 16-foot centre console boat at a nearby island.

They were returning home when the boat started taking on water, reportedly due to a fault in the vessel’s bilge pump.

The trio started bailing water from the vessel before quickly roping together some jerry cans as a floatation device.

They then activated their emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) and RACQ CQ Rescue was alerted to the beacon by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

The Mackay-based helicopter was alerted to the EPIRB activation approximately 18 kilometres north of Mackay at about 5pm Friday.

10 minutes after departing the Mackay Airport, the rescue helicopter crew, including a Critical Care Paramedic and rescue crewman, spotted the three men in the water about 5 kilometres offshore.

An RACQ CQ Rescue crewman was winched down into the water three times to secure each survivor into a vest to be winched up into the helicopter as Dolphin Heads locals watched on.

The crewman said the exhausted fishermen were incredibly relieved to see help arrive from overhead after spending about an hour in the water trying to swim to shore.

They had already swum approximately three kilometres from the rapidly sinking vessel and were using the empty jerry cans to keep afloat.

Volunteer Marine Rescue Mackay also responded and assisted in the rescue.

All three men were physically unharmed and were checked by the paramedic on board before being returned to Mackay Airport.

The men were incredibly relieved and happy to be back on dry land and to be reunited with their grateful families.

‍