Tragedy as man drowns
Woman makes desperate attempt to rescue husband
THE wife of a man who fell off their boat and drowned in waters off The Ville Resort-casino desperately tried save her husband.
Townsville Water Police and paramedics were called to a jetty near Mariners North about 7.45pm on Thursday night after a 65-year-old man was pulled lifeless from the water.
Officer-in-charge Sergeant Matthew Pegg said the man was securing an inflatable boat to the back of his catamaran, Serenity, which was anchored in a protected area off The Ville Resort-casino.
The man somehow fell into the water and drowned.
“His wife noticed he was missing and saw him in the water,” Sergeant Pegg said.
“The wife jumped in the water and tried to get him out but he had passed away.”
She called emergency crews, who descended on an area near Mariners North.
From there, paramedics, fire crews and police headed out to the vessel anchored about 200m from shore.
Sadly, the man couldn’t be saved.
Townsville District Detective Acting Inspector Dean Cavanagh said it was a terrible tragedy.
“She did everything she possibly could to help him, and a passer-by on a nearby boat also stopped to help,” Inspector Cavanagh said. “Our thoughts go out to the families.”
Breakwater Marina posted a statement on social media advising people of the incident.
“Unfortunately, we have been advised a terrible tragedy occurred last night,” the post read.
“Marina staff have no further information to share at the moment but we thank our tight-knit Marina community for your messages.” Police are still investigating the incident to try to determine how the man fell into the water.
The 63-year-old woman was taken to Townsville University Hospital for injuries she sustained while trying to rescue her husband.
Police are not treating his death as suspicious and a report will be prepared for the coroner.