Family Flies In For Search
Newcastle Herald
Monday April 5, 2004
THE family of a man swept off rocks while fishing in Munmorah State Recreation Area flew in to Sydney yesterday from Korea before joining search efforts near the notorious rock platform.
The man, a Korean national, was fishing with a friend at Snapper Point on Friday when he was believed to have slipped and fallen into the sea before disappearing.
A subsequent search involving the Hunter Westpac rescue helicopter, water police, Tuggerah Lakes police and National Parks and Wildlife personnel has failed to find the man.
His shoes, jacket and fishing rod were found in the water near where he was fishing with a Korean friend.
A rock fisherman was winched to safety yesterday after falling down a cliff and two others remain missing off the NSW coast, in a weekend of fishing tragedies.
The man, 41, was climbing up a cliff face near Manly, in northern Sydney, when he fell eight metres to the rocks below, rescue workers said.
An ambulance spokeswoman said he had fractured at least one ankle and possibly two in the fall, which occurred about noon.
An air and water search was under way for a man who was washed off Marley beach in the Royal National Park, south of Sydney, soon after 11am on Saturday.
The string of fishing accidents has prompted the NSW Government to conduct a survey of the safety habits of rock fishers, of whom an average of eight die each year.
It follows research showing most rock fishing deaths were male, most who died did not use any form of protection and almost half of the people who died were from Asian backgrounds.
Sport and Recreation Minister Sandra Nori said the survey would provide a better understanding of the level of involvement in rock fishing.
CareFlight director Ian Badham urged rock fishers to take more care, especially in the lead-up to Easter, including wearing special shoes, keeping a mobile phone and flotation device to hand and always fishing with a companion.
© 2004 Newcastle Herald
Share This