Four mates in a fishing boat run over at night

Northern Territory Police are calling for information following an nightmare boating 'hit and run' collision at night north of Darwin that left four fishos fighting for their lives, clinging to esky lids, and treading water.

The four fishing mates were in a disabled trailerable fishing boat, an 8m Leeder Wild Cat, with a radio call in for help after their motor failed while returning from a fishing trip to Bathurst Island.

While at anchor, just after 7.00pm on Saturday
night (May 21, 2016) some two kilometres off Charles Point, about 21km northwest of Port Darwin, they were suddenly run over by a much larger probable commercial vessel at night.

With the skipper's 67yo father-in-law sustaining lacerations and the others in shock, they were lucky to be rescued after more than an hour in the water. The fishing mates formed a pact that they wouldn't give up and would stick together.

Their boat, which was anchored at the time with the anchor light on, the skipper said, sank quickly. But their previous radio call for help worked and a rescuer arrived on the scene. He kept the injured man alive using his first aid knowledge.

The official report from the NT Water Police Acting Sergeant Travis Edwards said four men were anchored
in an 8m fibreglass fishing vessel when it was struck by
another vessel about two nautical miles off Charles Point, seriously
injuring one of the four men and causing the vessel to break apart and
sink.

"After an hour, a passing fisherman noticed the men in the water, came to their aid and assisted in bringing them ashore.

"The crew suffered exhaustion and exposure. One of the males suffered
serious lacerations to his arm, and he remains in a stable condition at
Royal Darwin Hospital [since released].

"The men were lucky to survive this horrific collision," Acting Sergeant Edwards said.

At last report, Water Police Divers were searching for the sunken wreckage to assist investigations. But at the time of writing all they retrieved were an esky, stubby holders and a hat.

Water Police would like to speak to anyone that was around Charles Point between 6.30pm and 8.00pm on the night of Saturday May 21. If you have any information please call Police on 131 444.

Meantime, we urge all boaters to remain vigilant when boating at night, especially as we move into winter when visibility is often reduced on our waterways. We also wish a full and speedy recovery for all those involved in this Top End 'hit and run' with a lucky outcome.