Hunters berated over risk

FIVE pig hunters who had to be rescued after driving into floodwaters have been admonished for their actions.

Five men, all in their 20s from Home Hill, had to be plucked to safety from Bogie, halfway between Bowen and Home Hill, after their ute was washed away near Molongle Ck on Thursday.

Justin Benato, one of the hunters, told Channel 7 News they could not see much water earlier in the day before deciding to cross the creek.

“(We) crossed it many a time, it’s always got a bit of water on it,” he said. “When we were about halfway through out of nowhere a big surge of water just came down and took us into the creek.”

Emergency services, including two helicopters, swift water rescue crews and Townsville Water Police officers were deployed to the scene, 15km west of the Bruce Highway. The ordeal lasted seven hours.

Mackay Police Sergeant Nigel Dalton said what the men had done was “very dangerous”.

“They had to get through some flooded areas, those areas were extremely dangerous,” he said.

“We have no idea what is in those creeks, what is travelling through them, what speed, how the vehicle will react.”

Sgt Dalton said the hunters put emergency services crews and police officers at risk.

He said the men could ultimately be held criminally liable but at this stage there was no formal investigation into the incident. “We really want to impress upon people travelling anywhere in Queensland at the moment that if it’s flooded, forget it,” Sgt Dalton said.