28 October 2002
Tasmania
The Tasmanian skipper of a tuna boat rescued two charity rowers from the Tasman Sea. Nick Barbara and Cathal Dickson had spent two nights adrift on top of their upturned boat, which had rolled over in stormy seas, while on an attempt to row across the Tasman. Peter Smith, formerly of Wynyard and now based in Mooloolaba, Queensland. His tuna boat the 'Japara' was about 240 nautical miles out to sea early Saturday night when a crewmember spotted a distress flare. He saw a kind of flashing torch on the starboard side.
Then they swung the boat around with the big lights and there they were, sitting on an upturned 24-foot row launch. They were both found to be in good condition, apart from swollen hands and feet and a few cuts and bruises. â€It was just lucky, just unbelievably lucky that we even seen the flare to start with." the tuna boat skipper Smith said.
