Boating accident off Tasmania’s northwest coast leaves one dead, three rescued after capsizing
Consensus Summary
A tragic boating incident off Tasmania’s northwest coast on Saturday evening, June 15, 2024, resulted in the death of a 35-year-old man and the rescue of three others—including a child—after their fishing vessel capsized near Robbins Passage. The group, consisting of a 27-year-old woman, a 33-year-old man, and a six-year-old child, departed Montagu boat ramp around 5:30pm and were thrown into the water around 9pm. The three survivors, all wearing life jackets, were found near Big Stony Island approximately 16 hours later, while the missing man’s body was located on Robbins Island the following day. Emergency services, including the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Tasmania Police, conducted an extensive search. Authorities confirmed the 35-year-old, who was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident, had died, while the other three were treated for hypothermia but suffered no serious injuries. The accident highlights the dangers of boating without proper safety gear.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Four people—three adults (ages 27, 33, and 35) and a six-year-old child—were on a fishing trip departing Montagu boat ramp west of Smithton at approximately 5:30pm on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
- The vessel capsized around 9pm on Saturday, throwing all four occupants into the water off Tasmania’s northwest coast near Robbins Passage/Stony Point.
- Three survivors (27-year-old woman, 33-year-old man, and six-year-old child) were located near Big Stony Island around 1pm on Sunday, June 16, after spending ~16 hours in the water.
- The three survivors were wearing life jackets and were taken to North West Regional Hospital for observation but were otherwise uninjured.
- A body, believed to be the 35-year-old man, was found on the eastern side of Robbins Island on Monday, June 17, ending the search.
- Relatives raised the alarm with Tasmania Police at approximately 8am on Sunday after the group failed to return to Montagu campground.
- The Westpac Rescue Helicopter and Tasmania Police’s boat *Van Diemen* were involved in the search efforts.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- The 35-year-old man was described as a friend of the family (not explicitly stated in other sources).
- Police initially stated the missing man was still alive as of Sunday afternoon (Article 1), before confirming his death in Article 2.
- No mention of the 35-year-old having removed his life jacket for unspecified reasons (only implied in Article 2).
- Explicitly states the group was staying at Montagu campground at the time of the trip (not mentioned in ABC’s Article 1).
- Describes the survivors as ‘floating in the ocean’ before being rescued (more vivid phrasing than ABC’s ‘located in the water’).
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC Article 1 says the three rescued were located ‘in the water at Robbins Passage,’ while Article 2 and NEWSCOMAU specify they were found near Big Stony Island, north of Robbins Island.
- ABC Article 2 states the 35-year-old man ‘is understood to have not been wearing a life jacket,’ while Article 1 only says he was missing and does not confirm this detail.
- ABC Article 2 includes Inspector Maingay’s quote about the man having removed his life jacket for unspecified reasons, which is not referenced in other sources.
- NEWSCOMAU describes the survivors as ‘floating in the ocean’ before rescue, while ABC sources use more clinical phrasing (‘located in the water’).
- ABC Article 1 does not mention the exact time of departure (5:30pm) or the campground connection, which is specified in Articles 2 and 3.
Source Articles
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Body found in search for 35yo man who went missing after boat capsized
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Search underway for missing man after three rescued at sea
Tasmania Police says three people have been rescued with, a man still missing, after a fishing boat "broke up" in waters off Tasmania's north-west coast....