Boating tragedy as woman is found dead after their vessel capsized and she drifted away while her husband clung for dear life to the upended tinnie
- Body of woman, 48, found after boat capsized by a big wave during fishing trip
- She and her husband, 54, managed to alert family member of emergency
- Man was found clinging to overturned tinnie in Brisbane waters early Sunday
- Woman’s body later found after she slipped away from vessel during the night
The body of a woman has been pulled from the water after her husband spent the night in rough seas desperately clinging to their capsized boat.
Queensland Police launched a search a 54-year-old man and 48-year-old woman on Saturday night after their family raised the alarm.
The pair were on a fishing trip when their boat was capsized by a large wave and managed to make a brief call to a family member to alert them to the emergency.
Police found the body of a 48-year-old woman on Sunday after they earlier found her husband clinging to their capsized boat
Water Police and a police helicopters, along with the Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard, spent much of the night searching for the Quintrex 440 Renegade in and around the Port of Brisbane, Mud Island, and Redcliffe areas.
The man was spotted clinging to the overturned tinnie in waters between between Moreton and Mud islands by a QGAir crew assisting with the aerial search when it resumed early Sunday morning.
He was airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital suffering from hypothermia.
Police located a body believed to be the missing woman from the capsized boat on Sunday afternoon.
The couple’s boat capsized in waters off the Port of Brisbane (pictured) on Saturday
It’s believed the woman slipped away from the boat during the night.
‘The male was able to get a three second phone call away saying the boat has capsized before it was terminated,’ Acting Senior Sergeant Mitch Gray told reporters.
‘The husband has managed to hold onto the hull throughout the night but at some stage during the night the wife has become tired and fatigued and has become separated from her husband.’
A report will be prepared for the coroner.
It’s understood the couple weren’t wearing life jackets at the time.
The Queensland Police marine unit (stock image) spent much of Saturday night looking for the couple before the search resumed on Sunday morning