Tag Archives: Skipper Ben Leahy
New memorial for six men killed in sunken trawler off Queensland coast
A permanent memorial will be built for the six crewmen killed when the fishing trawler F/V Dianne capsized and sank in wild seas off the central Queensland coast. One crew member survived, the bodies of two men were found in the sunken vessel by a police diver, and the bodies of the remaining four crewmen have never been recovered. “It has been nearly five years since the tragedy, but it is important we get this right,” Transport Minister Mark Bailey said. “An artist’s impression of the memorial was designed with guidance from the families of the FV Dianne crew. >click to read< 08:43
F/V Dianne Tragedy: sole survivor Ruben McDornan calls for tighter commercial fishing safety laws
The sole survivor of a dive boat disaster that claimed the lives of six men has accused the government of turning its back on commercial fishermen, calling for more stringent safety monitoring of boats. Ruben McDornan, the only surviving crew member from the FV Dianne, which sank off the coast of Queensland last year, says fishermen are dying unnecessarily because no government authority wants to take responsibility for their safety. “If six people had died in a mine, or in any other workplace on land, there would be uproar,” McDornan told 60 Minutes. >click to read<21:48
Two bodies recovered from sunken F/V Dianne, debris hampering police diver search
Police divers could only spend 13 minutes underwater at a time on Saturday and the last dive was conducted about 4.30pm. The police vessel Conroy was expected to bring the bodies back to Gladstone for formal identification on Saturday night, before heading back out to guard the scene until the morning. “We’re still clearing debris from the wheelhouse and just starting to get below,” Inspector Somerville said. click here to read the story 08:40
Reunion for trawler survivor as search moves from rescue to recovery
Ruben McDornan, so far the only survivor from a sunken trawler with seven on board, has had an emotional reunion with his wife and mother at Gladstone Airport, after being plucked from the rough seas by a passing yacht on Tuesday morning. Police have conceded it would be “a miracle” to find any of the other six missing fishermen alive, with the search and rescue moving towards a “recovery” operation on Thursday. “Our thoughts are with the boys missing at the moment because they’re all like family,” Ms McDornan said through tears. click here to read the story 08:54
Families of missing six cling to hope as wild weather hampers search
Hope is fading of finding six men alive after their trawler capsized, with police saying the likelihood of finding them alive is “not looking real promising”. On Wednesday afternoon, police released the identities of all six men who were on board the trawler, named Dianne, adding 34-year-old Chris Sammut and 28-year-old Zach Feeney to the list of known missing men. Skipper Ben Leahy (45) and Cairns men Adam Bidner (33), Adam Hoffman (30) and Eli Tonks (39) had already been named as being on board. The trawler capsized off the central Queensland coast near Middle Island, about 7.30pm Monday.The trawler had been fishing for sea cucumber when it got into trouble off the town of 1770 and sank about five hours later. click here to read the story 08:54
Six fishermen feared dead off trawler screamed from inside boat as crewmate clung to hull
SIX fishermen now feared dead were screaming from inside their sinking boat while a crewmate clung to the hull after it capsized off the central Queensland coast. Ruben McDornan survived for 12 hours in heavy seas and before he was plucked to safety after a yacht found him by sheer luck early yesterday. Their boat Dianne overturned near Middle Island, about 20km northeast of the Town of 1770, at 7.30pm on Monday before it sank about midnight. click here to read the story 08:24
Police to resume search for crew of sunken trawler – click here to read the story 17:31
