n00b1n8R
January 19th, 2009, 07:57 AM
25 days adrift in an Esky
Thomas Chamberlin
Monday, January 19, 2009
© The Cairns Post
http://www.cairns.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/01/19/Cairns-WebUsual-CP20JAN09P003-CC139697-ESKY.JPG
Dramatic rescue: This Australian Customs photograph shows the two fishermen adrift inside their Esky.
TWO fishermen amazingly survived 25 days adrift in an Esky after watching 18 of
their crew sink with their ship in wild Torres Strait seas.
The two men, believed to be from Burma, escaped to the large red industrial Esky as their 10m wooden fishing vessel sank on about December 23.
But they were finally rescued only when they drifted to 60 nautical miles northwest of Horn Island, where they were spotted by an Australian Customs helicopter.
Authorities last night could not explain how the men had survived their ordeal.
"They are lucky to be alive," media spokeswoman for Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Tracey Jiggins, said.
"They were able to position themselves in a large industrial-sized Esky.
"At the time of the sinking the two survivors witnessed other crew from the fishing vessel in the water."
After their rescue on Saturday, the two men told police that their crew - a group of 11 and a group of seven - had no life jackets or other flotation or safety devices.
The men could not say where the boat, carrying men from Thailand and Burma, had sunk but said it had sailed from Thailand before the incident.
"The Rescue Coordination Centre Australia made an assessment on the information provided by the two survivors and that was other crew members who had entered the water would not have survived for 25 days without any flotation devices," Ms Jiggins said.
"Police notified other relevant Australian authorities including the Department of Immigration and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and also our search and rescue counterpart in Indonesia."
"This was good work by Coast Watch ... to locate two people floating in a very small container in the middle of that big ocean is really great."
After being winched to safety by an Australian Maritime Safety Authority helicopter, the men were taken to Thursday Island Hospital.
A Department of Immigration spokesman last night confirmed talks would be held with the men about their future.
"They are now in Thursday Island Hospital receiving medical care and representatives from the department have made initial contact with the people," he said.
"In the coming days we will confirm their identity and determine their intentions."
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/01/19/24355_local-news.html
ITT: post crazy shit like this/discuss said shit
Thomas Chamberlin
Monday, January 19, 2009
© The Cairns Post
http://www.cairns.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2009/01/19/Cairns-WebUsual-CP20JAN09P003-CC139697-ESKY.JPG
Dramatic rescue: This Australian Customs photograph shows the two fishermen adrift inside their Esky.
TWO fishermen amazingly survived 25 days adrift in an Esky after watching 18 of
their crew sink with their ship in wild Torres Strait seas.
The two men, believed to be from Burma, escaped to the large red industrial Esky as their 10m wooden fishing vessel sank on about December 23.
But they were finally rescued only when they drifted to 60 nautical miles northwest of Horn Island, where they were spotted by an Australian Customs helicopter.
Authorities last night could not explain how the men had survived their ordeal.
"They are lucky to be alive," media spokeswoman for Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Tracey Jiggins, said.
"They were able to position themselves in a large industrial-sized Esky.
"At the time of the sinking the two survivors witnessed other crew from the fishing vessel in the water."
After their rescue on Saturday, the two men told police that their crew - a group of 11 and a group of seven - had no life jackets or other flotation or safety devices.
The men could not say where the boat, carrying men from Thailand and Burma, had sunk but said it had sailed from Thailand before the incident.
"The Rescue Coordination Centre Australia made an assessment on the information provided by the two survivors and that was other crew members who had entered the water would not have survived for 25 days without any flotation devices," Ms Jiggins said.
"Police notified other relevant Australian authorities including the Department of Immigration and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and also our search and rescue counterpart in Indonesia."
"This was good work by Coast Watch ... to locate two people floating in a very small container in the middle of that big ocean is really great."
After being winched to safety by an Australian Maritime Safety Authority helicopter, the men were taken to Thursday Island Hospital.
A Department of Immigration spokesman last night confirmed talks would be held with the men about their future.
"They are now in Thursday Island Hospital receiving medical care and representatives from the department have made initial contact with the people," he said.
"In the coming days we will confirm their identity and determine their intentions."
http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2009/01/19/24355_local-news.html
ITT: post crazy shit like this/discuss said shit