Last Thursday morning, August 8, at around 6:30 am, police responded to a distressing call confirming the discovery of a deceased man inside a submerged vehicle at the Mackay Marina.
Authorities believe the van may have rolled into the water and become trapped under a pontoon, which later crushed the vehicle as the tide rose.
Police are currently reviewing CCTV footage to better understand the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Emergency services, including police, fire, ambulance and other authorities were present at the scene to investigate the incident.
Tow trucks and a heavy lift vehicle were also on-site to assist in safely extracting the vehicle from the water.
Senior Sergeant and District Duty Officer Kyle Gaule explained that police received the call at 6:30 am, alerting them to the vehicle in the water. Upon arrival, they found an unresponsive man in the driver’s seat of the submerged van under the pontoon.
On the day of the incident, Sergeant Gaule noted that just after midnight the vehicle has entered the water and the reason it entered the water remains under investigation.
“It appears the vehicle entered at low tide, so as the tide has come in, the car has located itself under the pontoon, which the pontoon itself weighs about nine tonnes, so as the tide’s coming in the pontoon has come down on top of the vehicle.
“To safely extract the vehicle, a heavy lift vehicle was used to make sure everybody was safe while the vehicle was extracted.”
Further investigations are ongoing to determine how the vehicle ended up in the water.
Authorities have classified the case as non-suspicious and will treat it as a marine/traffic incident.
Police are preparing a report for the coroner.
There have been no further updates as of Wednesday, August 14.
The community remains in shock after a deceased man was found in the driver’s seat of a submerged van that was wedged under a pontoon at the Mackay Marina. Photo credit: Hannah McNamara
Publishers Indemnity. Any individual or entity that places advertising, supplies copy material, or submits editorial content to Core Life Publishing agrees and undertakes to ensure that all such material:- Does not infringe upon any copyright, trademark, or other intellectual property rights;- Is free from any content that could be considered defamatory, libelous, or slanderous;- Does not infringe upon any rights related to privacy or breach of confidence;- Contains no obscene, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material;- Complies fully with the Trade Practices Act and all other applicable laws, regulations, or statutes.Furthermore, by submitting or placing such material, these individuals or entities agree to indemnify and hold harmless the publisher, Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd, and/or its agents from and against any and all investigations, claims, demands, liabilities, damages, costs, or judgments arising out of or in connection with the material provided. All material is believed to be accurate at the time of printing and remains the copyright of Core Publishing and Events Pty Ltd.
© 2024 Mackay and Whitsunday Life Pty Ltd.
