Father’s face slashed open in freak Seaforth boat accident
A TRIP to visit family at Seaforth took a horrific turn when a Gold Coast father of three’s face was slashed open by a boat propeller after a turtle caused him to pitch overboard.
“It’s going to be a hell of a recovery for me but at least I’m alive,” Andrew said.
The 48-year-old, who asked for his surname not be used, had been out on the water with his dad and daughter when the 4m tinny they were in hit a large turtle that had swum to the surface in the boat’s path.
The jolt caused the boat, steered by his father, to pitch from side and side, sending Andrew flying over the edge and under the water.
“Then I got run over by the tinny,” Andrew said. “The only thing I can remember … it was a bit spiritual … I (thought) of my children when I was underneath the water.
“When I woke up … I was in somebody else’s boat.”
Andrew said luckily there had been another vessel nearby. He was quickly pulled from the water and taken to the boat ramp while his daughter phoned for an ambulance.
Three crews, including critical care paramedics, as well as the RACQ CQ Rescue chopper arrived at the Seaforth boat ramp to treat the seriously injured man.
“There are lines all over my body … four or five lines over my face … where the engine hit,” he said. “Very lucky. That’s what the surgeon said to me — ‘ You’re very lucky to be alive’.”
Andrew was rushed to Mackay Base Hospital and then later flown to Townsville Hospital for treatment.
He said he was in surgery for about eight hours as doctors sutured his face back together and repaired the damage to his body.