Divers try to save trapped man at sea

Press, 9 May 1983, Page 1

Divers try to save trapped man at sea

Divers were being flown from Wellington last evening to help rescue a man trapped under the hull of an overturned boat off the Buller coast.

At 12.30 this morning the Wellington Police Station, which had taken over control of the rescue, reported that a local diver had been inside the hull of the boat and spoken to the trapped man, Mr John Hutley, aged 50, of Westport. He was cold and weak, but well, a police spokesman said. A team of police divers and a doctor, on board the dredge Kawatiri, were still on their way to the overturned boat. The boat is 37km north of Westport and 4km out to sea. Mr Hutley had been trapped under the boat since it capsized some time on Friday night or Saturday morning. Mr Hutley is a diabetic and needs insulin. Rescue officials did not know last evening how much time Mr Hutley had to live “because we do not know how long he has been under there.” There was also the danger that the vessel might sink.

Before handing control of the operation over to the Westport police, the Wellington Search and Rescue Headquarters spokesman, Squadron Leader Chris Cole, said late last evening that the operation was becoming more urgent all the time. He said he did not know what effects the medical condition of Mr Hutley would have the longer he remained in the upturned hull. Squadron Leader Cole said there was always the danger that the boat would sink or the air supply run out. "His medical condition is of concern, and makes it all the more urgent to free him,” he said. A helicopter with a scoop net lifted the skipper of. the 13m fishing boat Jan, Reginald James Stevens, aged 30, of Nelson, off the top of the upturned hull late yesterday afternoon. He was taken to Buller Hospital. His condition was not known but he was thought to be in shock. Two divers took turns to speak to Mr Hutley through

the wooden hull last evening. Four police divers from Wellington were to be ferried out to the stricken vessel as soon as they arrived at Westport. They left Wellington at 9.10 p.m. in a Cessna aircraft.

An emergency flare path had been prepared at the Westport airfield, which has facilities only for daylight landings. The Westport Harbour Board’s, ?6 million dredge, carrying extra equipment to help the divers, was expected to take two hours to reach the Jan.

. It was planned for the diving team to work throueh the night.

Divers already at the scene found conditions dangerous under the vessel because of the darkness and fishing nets submerged in the water.

Cutting tnrougn me wooden hull to free the trapped man had been considered, said a spokesman for the Search and Rescue Co-ordination Centre in Wellington. The plan was considered dangerous as the vessel might sink if the hull was cut.

The Jan arrived off the Westport Harbour bar on Friday evening but seas up to seven metres high made any attempt to cross too dangerous.

The men radioed Westport and said they would try to cross on Saturday morning.

A sea anchor was put out but a big wave hit the boat, turning it over.

When the Jan failed to make the scheduled crossing, the Westport police began a search for her and her crew. The men were to have attended a wedding in Westport that day.

Trail bikes and fourwheel drive vehicles were used to search the coastline for any debris. The search extended from Cape Foulwind to Karamea. Light aircraft were also used in the search.

The Wellington search and rescue centre was activated at 8 a.m. yesterday. The police ground search continued as well as a search by light aircraft and helicopters. Two fishing buoys from the Jan were found on a beach near Granity.' Clothing, gumboots, and plywood were also found on a beach but they did not come from the boat. . The Hawea, a naval patrol vessel en route between Nelson and Wellington, was diverted to take part in the search. Her crew were asked to check the Golden Bay area to make sure the Jan had not taken shelter there.

A Royal New Zealand Air Force Friendship, based at Wigram, was called into the search yesterday afternoon. It flew over Westport about 2 p.m. and had found the Jan 35 minutes later.

A light aircraft, hired by Julie Farrant, a girlfriend of Mr Stevens, had spotted debris in the sea, 3km off Kongahu Point, 37km north of Westport. The Friendship flew into the area and confirmed it was the Jan. Mr Stevens was seen on top of the hull.

A helicopter was called into the. area and Mr Chris Coll was lowered on to the hull. He spoke to both men while the helicopter returned to land to pick up a scoop net. Mr Stevens was lifted from the upturned vessel at 4.25 p.m.

He was taken to Buller Hospital, suffering from shock and exposure.

A hospital spokesman said Mr Stevens was in a “fairly good” condition considering his ordeal and was being kept in hospital overnight.

The W. J. Scott, a fisheries research vessel, was positioned alongside the Jan last evening. The Shark Cat, a catamaran, was also standing by in the area.