Rescuers’ brave effort in extreme danger Effort gave closure to family of lost kayaker
RESCUE workers on the Tablelands risked their lives in terrible conditions trying to save a trapped kayaker at a remote rapid on the treacherous North Johnstone River last week.
The kayaker, Robert Michael Parker from Sydney, was trapped against rocks in his kayak in near-freezing conditions in the rainforest river that carves its way through the coastal ranges shadowed by Queensland’s highest mountain, Mt Bartle Frere.
A group of five from Sydney, all experienced whitewater kayakers, had entered the river at 9am on June 7 at a bridge crossing 15km from Malanda.
The rapids and the river’s remote location, coupled with the beauty of this rainforest wilderness, are a beacon for white-water adventurers, especially this time of the year when the river level is regarded as being stable.
The river is considered to be at its most stable levels in the largely rain-free winter months.
On Thursday afternoon the last week kayakers approached a rapid well downstream from an area known as Butchers Creek. This rapid, one of many on the river, is probably 35km downstream from the North Johnstone’s headwaters at Upper Barron near Malanda.
Topography and rough terrain make the wild water sections of the North Johnstone remote. The only way in or out once kayakers are on the really fast section of the river is by foot or helicopter. It could take days to walk out.
The first man to go was 37year-old Robert Parker. His three mates and the one woman on the trip, his sister, watched the blades of his paddle as he disappeared into the white water.
He didn’t come out. He was stuck somewhere in the churning white water. What was to follow was a rescue attempt of an extraordinary nature.
Inspector Shane Jarvis, area commander for the Far Northern Region of Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, spoke about the challenges of the failed attempt to save the paddler.
Asked how he would rate the extreme nature of the rescue on a scale of one to 10, he replied: “I’d rate it 20”.
“He didn’t come out at the other end. The nose of his kayak hit a rock. It spun around and the back of it caught another rock. The kayak tipped over, trapping the paddler inside. He was sandwiched into his kayak,” Insp Jarvis said.
He couldn’t get out. His head was in an air pocket somewhere in the kayak.
The kayak was under water. His companions could hear him shouting, but there was nothing they could do to reach him. They used what gear they had to try to get to him, but the equipment broke under the force of the water.
One member of the group activated a distress beacon. Help was on its way.
There had been frosts and temperatures ranging from zero to 3C during the week leading into the rescue. It was in these conditions at 10pm on Thursday night of June 7 that the first helicopter crew flew into the blackness of the mountains towards the location marked by the beacon.
“We winched the rescue team in. This was 10pm. The helicopter went in under the (rainforest) canopy in fog and drizzling rain at night. A paramedic and two Queensland Fire and Rescue swift water rescue technicians went down. These were extreme conditions, plus it was very cold,” Insp Jarvis said.
The men did what they could in the dark, but their equipment was breaking under the force of the water.
That night, after exhausting all efforts, they huddled on the bank in the cold.
At daylight Friday morning a chopper arrived with another four rescue specialists. Other equipment was flown in.
It was 4pm before they had all of the equipment in place and ready to go. Last light was 90 minutes away.
Three fast-water rescuers made their way in a raft to the kayak from the downstream side. The paddler somehow manoeuvred the raft into a position where it could get in behind the water crashing over the kayak.
One man leant out under the water while the third man held him. The man leaning out reached as far as he could, stretching his hands towards the inside of the kayak until his fingers touched Mr Parker’s arm. He extended even further and gripped the arm and pulled Mr Parker’s body out of the kayak. It was now 4.20pm.
The rescue crews, all from the Tablelands and Cairns, had overcome insurmountable odds. The paddler had died in the water, but his body had been retrieved and his family had closure.