Leaders Creek drowning

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Matt Flynn
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Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Matt Flynn »

Just reported on ABC that a Victorian man, 72, threw his tools to keep crocodiles away from his drowning mate after their boat capsized at Leaders Creek.

My info from someone out there is that there was a capsize and drowning at SWA with emergency crews called in this afternoon, accident possibly the result of a poorly modified or tiny dinghy.

Can not confirm dinghy mod at this stage. Media reports are saying sinking was caused by a croc attack.

Whatever the case, sounds bl..dy awful.


donegal
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Re: Leeders Creek drowning

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Matt Flynn
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Re: Leeders Creek drowning

Post by Matt Flynn »

Leaders Creek Fishing Base told me it happened at SWA.
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by jeffish »

What a sad way to die ,enjoying a fishing trip and it all goes wrong . R.I.P
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by mickkk »

Hopefully the media stick to reporting the facts.
Miss information of previous croc attacks muddied the water, and I'm sure caused even more distress to family members.
It's not been a great start, swa boat ramp on leaders creek, FFS surly someone should have picked it up.

What ever the facts and circumstances, rip to the poor bloke. Hope the mate gets the help he needs, would have been traumatising.
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Lats
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Lats »

That's bl..dy terrible. Very sad indeed
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Edo
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Edo »

Absolute tradgedy for all involved but i do agree we still dont have the facts, ive heard 3 different storys through the media now.
RIP bloke.
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by nomad »

This story doesn’t gel to me and there seems to be more to it. If the croc was agro to them, then why didn’t the croc grab the bloke?

Just spent a week at Daly R and the numbers of car toppers is astounding and most have less than 300mm freeboard. My bro in law said he was fishing at a creek mouth and a croc popped up right next to him and started ‘vibrating’.
He said it then sunk its body with just the head visible. I told him it was ready to jump. He still thinks that they aren’t interested in humans and ‘was just inquisitive and wanted to have a look at them’
I told him that it was time to move on if that happens again
There was no way he would accept the croc was interested in him.
Some people can’t ever be taught new things.
RIP to the poor fella and condolences to his family and friends
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Matt Flynn
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Matt Flynn »

The secondhand info I have is that it was a small boat and there had been some discussion at the location by nearby fishos about it.

Time will tell if there was a problem with the boat, or a croc, or both, but the truth is there are no rules or accepted practises re boat size on the Top End, only "wise choices". Only canoes are generally considered dangerous in the rivers, those who use yaks in the NT stick to the bluewater and keep their eyes open.

It wasn't so long ago that people were writing about canoeing Cape York rivers.

I've seen a pic of a little foldup boat on the 4-Mile Hole, it looked like a cup cake, and yet many tiny boats are used without problems.

Just too many crocs now, and those SWA crocs are well trained re raiding crab pots.

Enforcing minimum size boats would create problems tho. Education is the best policy.

Having said that, I fished the top of the Adelaide River in my mates' tiny Dehavilland punt for years. I'm thinking maybe we were lucky ...
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Lats
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Lats »

And I see that another couple from interstate... he was stung by a box jellyfish and a few hours later she was bitten by a snake..... welcome to the NT
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by FTRAINED »

Here's a photo of the 3.25m boat involved from Channel 9's Liz Creasy.
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Kaos364 »

Wow... With the esky full of ice the stability of that little tinny would be concerning... Sit two guys up on the seats and it would take only a small bump to turn it over, center of gravity way too high... :(
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Jer »

Wow, that boat is just way too small.
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by nomad »

sorry to say but that boat is just an accident waiting to happen.
It would have a 200mm freeboard max
with that seat the CoG would be way up there on the instability scale.
I think that its a matter of time until legislation is introduced for a min size.
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Matt Flynn
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Re: Leaders Creek drowning

Post by Matt Flynn »

The high COG chair and eskie seats must be the "mod" that was mentioned.

Story I am told is that they tipped to one side and fell out. May be that the croc(s) arrived later, the crocs are never far away at SWA, they love crab pots.

Just two blokes enjoying their day, very sad.
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