Two men found dead inside drifting boat off Queensland coast

[GILow]

Well I really cannot understand how this tragedy has occurred.


Two men found dead inside drifting boat off Queensland coast

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-1...sland/11513356

[clownfishsydney]

That is a Sailfish catamaran, a very well built vessel (I have a smaller and older one). To damage the starboard hull like that would take a lot of speed and a very large immovable object. Still, it is hard to see how the occupants could be killed outright. Presumably they had a chartplotter so Police should be able to figure out what they hit.

Also, Island Head Creek is very remote, so perhaps this happened a few days ago and maybe they lingered on hurt badly. Very strange and sad.

[belizesailor]

High impact accidents can cause severe internal injuries even with no visible external physical injuries. A ruptured spleen is common in such events.

[CaptTom]

Wow, that's tragic. I hope we get some answers, and maybe learn something.

I'll be interested to find out if they can pinpoint the time of the impact. Especially, day or night. The article mentioned smoke, but I'm not sure how thick it can get in that area.

High speed at night or in restricted visibility comes to mind as a possible cause, but I have no reason to suspect that. It's just something I see a lot of up our way.

[JPA Cate]

There has been a lot of whale traffic this year. I wouldn't have thought hitting a whale would have done that damage to the hull. That was a lot of deformation, more like a rock or something.

The forensic pathologist will be the one who will tell what the cause of death was for each of the two men.

Condolences to the families.

Ann

[ArmyDaveNY]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

High impact accidents can cause severe internal injuries even with no visible external physical injuries. A ruptured spleen is common in such events.

Indeed, even accidents that are "low speed" can cause significant injuries. It has been demonstrated that under the right circumstances, an auto accident of just 2.5 mph (4 kph) can cause whiplash. In the case of a boat, a person can be launched a fair distance, coming to a sudden stop. Often the person will hit edges that concentrate the force.

In particular, head injuries can become fatal if not treated in a reasonable time. Two studies, one from Monash University's Accident Research Center in Melbourne and one from the British Department of Transportation, point out that even at speeds as low as 30 Kph (Melvourne study) head injuries were very common, followed by chest injuries. The British study pointed out that a side impact, even at just 30 mph, has around a 25% chance of a fatality.

Keep in mind that these studies looked at automobile accidents. Cars have seat belts, crumple zones, and usually air bags. Boats usually allow for more travel and have more injury causing surfaces and objects.

The below video shows two impacts at "just" 30 Kph (18 Mph) with and without seat belts. For those who wish to cut to the chase, go to the 1:30 and 1:40 marks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLCWGcNpY94

[Mike Banks]

My guess is a container, or another vessel as yet undiscovered. Any normal floating object partially submerged would not have caused that straight line indent. That was something HARD.

[HankOnthewater]

Condolences to the family of the deceased.
A friend was anchored closeby (Island Head Creek) when the incident happened. He said there are daily whale sightings there.

[RaymondR]

Australia has seat belt laws for road transport vehicles but I don't recall ever seeing a boat fitted with them even though many of them are fast enough to cause serious injuries to un-restrained passengers in the event of a collision.

[markpierce]

Says something that boating at six knots reduces risks.

[Mr B]

MUARC in Melbourne, have proven that an impact inside a motor cycle helmet at above 35 Kays will kill you,
The brain moves sideways and hits the inside of the skull, Your dead, Even with a helmet on,
Thats a solid impact to cause that damage,
Sad for the people in the boat,

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by GILow

Well I really cannot understand how this tragedy has occurred.


Two men found dead inside drifting boat off Queensland coast

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-09-1...sland/11513356

I guess you are being sarcastic since its easy to understand. Speed Kills

[GILow]

Originally Posted by waterman46

I guess you are being sarcastic since its easy to understand. Speed Kills

No, I was not being tasteless enough to be sarcastic about such a tragedy.

I simply do not understand how this happened. Sure, speed kills, but boat speeds usually do not, or at least, not both occupants at once. This still strikes me as very strange.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by GILow

No, I was not being tasteless enough to be sarcastic about such a tragedy.



I simply do not understand how this happened. Sure, speed kills, but boat speeds usually do not, or at least, not both occupants at once. This still strikes me as very strange.

Yes it does. Similar accident in Belize a few years back. Locals hit the reef at speed in a skiff...died of internal injuries. Multiple occupants, all dead.


Watch the crash dummies testing video posted. You dont need to be doing 100kph to get killed.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by GILow

No, I was not being tasteless enough to be sarcastic about such a tragedy.

I simply do not understand how this happened. Sure, speed kills, but boat speeds usually do not, or at least, not both occupants at once. This still strikes me as very strange.

Without wishing to trite, it is the de-accelation that kills; of both the vessel and the occupants.

IMO, they hit a submerged object at speed, possibility the bottom and the crew hit something hard inside the boat.

Not a lot different than say slipping on wet tiles and hitting one's head on the side of a bathtub.