Critical Boating Incident June 2020 - 2 lives saved 2 lives lost
CRITICAL INCIDENT
Saturday evening our Emergency Call Out Team were activated.
Reports of people calling for help. During the search it was alleged that at about 6.20pm Saturday 6 June 2020, a boat carrying four people capsized near Bulli Point (Peggy's Reef).
Officers from Wollongong Police District – with assistance from the Marine Area Command, PolAir, the Toll Ambulance helicopter, Marine Rescue, Surf Life Saving Illawarra Duty Officer & BULLI SLSC members – commenced a search.
About 8pm, two men aged 31 and 23, were pulled from the water by the Toll Ambulance Helicopter and taken to Wollongong hospital for treatment; they have since been released.
Due to conditions, the search was suspended at 12am (Sunday 7 June 2020), for the two other people reported missing.
The capsized boat was towed into Port Kembla Harbour early Sunday morning where Police Divers located the body of a five-year-old boy, so very sad😪
Sunday BULLI SLSC members along with members from 10 other Illawarra surf life saving clubs, SLSI Support Operations Team, SLSNSW Duty Officer, WCC Lifeguards, along with emergency service personnel from NSW Police & NSW Ambulance commenced from 6am a search of the immediate area (north & south water & land) for the 1 missing person.
Unfortunately the body of a man was recovered from the water near Corrimal about 1.10pm.
The search was then concluded.
Police will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner.
As inquiries continue, any witnesses or anyone who saw the boat in the area yesterday is urged to come forward.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
30+ members from BULLI SLSC assisted over a 24hr period with the surf club as the Command Post.
So very proud of our members who performed duties in cold adverse conditions on the Saturday night & then again Sunday. From coordinating operational matters to being on the water in IRB's or RWC, to cooking the BBQ & having food & refreshments available for everybody....thank you so much 👍🙏
Surf Life Saving really stepped up in a very challenging incident, well done to everybody. If any member needs to talk, having difficulty dealing with this tragic incident please contact our Club President Keith Caldwell 0414-258295.
Our sincere condolences to the families involved in this tragedy💔😪