WA Water Police have busy weekend with call-outs near Cockburn Sound, Mandurah, Cape Naturaliste, Karratha and Garden Island

It’s been a “hectic” weekend on the water in WA, with Water Police responding to a series of marine incidents including a boat fire near Mandurah, a man falling off rocks at Cape Naturaliste and a man stranded at sea all night in a kayak in Cockburn Sound.

Water police Sergeant Brad Bell said the incidents were a good and timely reminder of the significance of safety gear.

“Now that Covid-19 restrictions have eased there’s more people out in the water,” he said.

“This weekend has been rather busy, a lot of these incidents happened at the same time.

“It’s been quite hectic for us.

“I guess these instances highlight what happens when you do have the correct safety gear …. and also highlight what happens when you don’t have safety gear—you might spend the night at sea in uncomfortable conditions.”

This morning a kayaker was found stranded at Cockburn Sound after spending the whole night at sea in bad weather.

The Cockburn Sea and Rescue Squad were on their way back from an earlier rescue when they found the distressed man, cold and lost.

It was established the 35-year-old man had ventured out on the water about 7.30pm last night, from North Coogee, to do some fishing and was due back around midnight.

But he became disoriented and was unable to return to shore.

While the man was wearing a life jacket, he had no other emergency equipment and was unable to alert anyone to his situation .

“For some reason he was not able to make it back and spent the night at Cockburn Sound,” Sgt Bell said.

“He’s just a very lucky person.”

Five people had to be rescued from a burning boat in Sticks Channel at Mandurah yesterday.

The incident happened about 3.10pm, when a recreational boat caught fire.

Those on board had to be rescued by a passing skipper before emergency services extinguished the fire.

The boat sank a short time later.

At about 10.15am today, police received a mayday call from a vessel about four nautical miles west of Garden Island.

It was taking on water and the skipper had to activate the boat’s EPIRB before rescuers could be sent to locate them.

Two people on board were picked up by a passing boat and the sinking vessel was towed to shore.

“It’s lucky they had the EPIRB working marine radio and they were able to be assisted,” Sgt Bell said.

“If authorities didn’t get there in time or the members of the public didn’t get there on time that vessel would’ve sunk and they would’ve been in the water.”

At about 11.10am, Water Police intercepted a mayday call from a vessel off the coast of Karratha.

The vessel struck a navigation buoy and two men were injured. Three adults and two children were on board.

Two private boats responded to the call and provided help and first aid.

The injured men were taken to a boat ramp in Karratha where paramedics met them.

According to Sgt Bell The Department of Transport will investigate the cause of the crash.

In the State’s South West, police received an emergency call about a man falling into the water off rocks near Cape Naturaliste.

The incident happened about 11.25am at Sugar Loaf Rocks. The 28-year-old man was wearing a life jacket but was struggling to stay afloat and reach the rocks.

A member of the public used his drone to help guide a police officer to the man’s location along the rocks.

The police officer wearing a life-ring climbed across the rocks and helped the man out of the water.

The rescued man had cuts on his legs from where he was smashed onto the rocks.

He was helped across the rocks to the car park to where paramedics could treat him.

“It’s an example of a good outcome because of safety gear, versus other incidents that have happened there in the past where people we’re wearing life jackets and unfortunately now are deceased,” Sgt Bell said.