Missing Fisherman Swims To Safety

[Derek_Bullock]

Last Update: Monday, January 30, 2006. 4:37pm (AEDT)

Missing WA fisherman swims ashore

A 44-year-old man has swum at least two nautical miles to shore after a fishing trip off Western Australia's south-coast almost ended in tragedy.

The man's ordeal lasted almost five hours.

He disappeared about 2.5 nautical miles off the Dunsborough coast at about 7:30am AWST.

The man had been crab fishing with his brother, who fell asleep and woke to find his fishing partner had disappeared overboard.

Police launched a sea, land and air search involving about 20 personnel but just before midday the man swam ashore at the Siesta caravan park.

Police say he is in a satisfactory condition but has been taken to hospital for examination.

The man's brother is also at the hospital but neither men have yet spoken of their ordeal.

[hr]

Missing fisherman swims to safety

January 30, 2006

A FISHERMAN missing for several hours after falling overboard off the Western Australia coast has swum ashore.

An extensive air and sea search was launched this morning, after the man in his 30s was reported missing from a dinghy off the coast near Siesta Park, about 245km south of Perth.

Search and rescue officers, police and private fishing boats began scouring the area about 8am WST after the man had apparently fallen overboard while on a crabbing trip with his brother.

But at 11.50am WST, he walked into the Siesta Park Caravan Park, in a disorientated state but otherwise safe and well, police said.

"He made it ashore and wandered into the caravan park ... he has been taken to hospital but will be OK," a WA police spokesman said.

[DaveSue_Fishos_Two]

A very lucky man!!!

Dave

[Dug]

A Jack Russell terrier did the same thing in Port Philip bay today by ABC radio reports.

The owner said "It probably saw a catfish"

[Huggy_B]

As an update, these two morons had been on the sauce all night and decided to go boating. The brother was suspected to be passed out, not asleep.

Not a great example.......

[Angla]

Yeah,
That sounds more like the real story.

If that is the case they should both be fined heavily

Angla