Woman killed, baby given CPR in Queensland boating tragedy
A family tragedy has unfolded in Queensland, after a boating accident claimed the life of a grandmother.
The woman was on a boat with her pregnant daughter, her 14-month-old grandchild and her son-in-law near Curtis Island off Gladstone when the vessel flipped in bad weather.
All four onboard were thrown into the water.
The 14-month-old child, the only one wearing a life jacket, was pulled under the boat.
“(The child) was trapped under the vessel for a number of minutes before family members pulled it to the surface and performed CPR,” rescuer Dave Paterson said.
As the child’s father dived under the boat, flares were launched to call for help.
“Luckily there were people on Curtis Island who saw the flares and they came to the assistance,” detective inspector Darrin Shadlow said.
Nearby boaties pulled the trio out of the rough seas but sadly the grandmother could not be saved.
“Particularly at this time of year, to lose a family member in such a way … it’s not a good thing,” Mr Paterson said.
The pregnant woman and her 14-month-old child remain in Rockhampton hospital in stable conditions.
The man, who wasn’t seriously hurt in the boating tragedy, remains at their bedside.
