Crab Collecting Boy Hit By Propeller

[mrmoshe]

Crab collecting boy hit by propeller

A 14-year-old boy collecting crabs at a Sydney national park suffered serious injuries after falling off a boat and being struck by a propeller.

The boy, from Northbridge, was with a friend on mud flats at Refuge Bay in Ku-ring-gai National Park at Pittwater in an inflatable boat yesterday afternoon.

"The boys pushed the boat into deeper water and climbed in, attempting to start the motor," police said in a statement.

"While starting the motor the boat lurched forward, causing one boy to fall into the water behind the boat, striking his face against the propeller as he fell."

He suffered deep cuts to his face but remained conscious throughout, say police.

Police said the boy's friend pulled him into the inflatable and returned to his parents' vessel moored in deeper water.

The boy was taken to Palm Beach Ferry Wharf and treated by paramedics and flown to Royal North Shore for emergency surgery.

He is in a serious but stable condition.

[jewgaffer]

That's shocking news Mallacoota Pete. There have been far too many nasty incidents with boat propellers and you would wonder why they don't go all the way and make propeller guards a compulsory safety requirement, instead of only needing to have a flimsy after market cut out device fitted.

jewgaffer

[pelican]

Sad but hard to work out how the kids managed to do this as the motor would be generally pushing back towards the transom unless to poor kid fell off the bow of the tender.

At 14 you'd think they'd be pretty safe so it just goes to show how careful you need to be around boats. Good on his mate for dragging him in.

Stupid statistics will have this as another injury for someone not wearing a lifejacket!!!

Hope he heals up

[amkulic]

This boy mentioned goes to my school and has received everyones best wishes.

Its terrible to hear of such an accident