Survivor heard missing fishermen scream as boat sank

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.

Mr McDornan is understood to have heard his crewmates screaming and knocking from inside the overturned vessel as he held on to the hull from the outside.

He is then understood to have spent six hours in rough seas and screaming for help before his lucky rescue.

Wild weather yesterday hampered the search for the six men, the majority of who are believed to be from Cairns.

Skipper Ben Leahy, an experienced fisherman, was last night missing, along with crew members Eli Tonks, Adam Bidner and three others.