Qld: Fisherman recovering after Black Hawk rescue

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2000
Qld: Fisherman recovering after Black Hawk rescue

BRISBANE, Aug 10 AAP - A fisherman was recovering in a north Queensland hospital today
after spending a night at sea waiting to be rescued.

The 24-year-old was winched aboard an army Black Hawk helicopter in a rescue mission
off Bowen and taken to Townsville.

A spokesman for the Canberra-based Australian Search And Rescue organisation, AusSAR,
said the fishing vessel, Atlanta, had reported last night that the fisherman had failed
to return by 4pm as expected, after a day's fishing north of the Whitsunday islands.

He activated an emergency beacon and a search helicopter spotted the dory shortly before
midnight, but was unable to winch him aboard.

The fisherman was apparently unharmed by his ordeal and his condition was described
as satisfactory.

AAP dn/sc mg/bwl k

KEYWORD: FISHERMAN LEAD

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