By JESSE GRAHAM
Boat sinking son thought he was unlikely to live…
HEALESVILLE teenager Thane Garvey has been labelled a hero after swimming to shore after his boat sank in Port Phillip Bay.
But he says he’s lucky to be alive after treading water in freezing conditions.
When 17-year-old was on a fishing trip in his father’s new boat on Thursday last week, he didn’t expect the day to end at the Dandenong Hospital.
The Healesville High School student said the day had begun slowly as part of a fishing trip with his father, Tony Garvey, and his friends Brett Teunon and Adam Edmonds, on Thursday 1 August.
The men, all Healesville residents, took the four-metre boat out for the first time in Port Phillip, near Patterson River.
“We went out in the boat just on daybreak and when we launched the boat into the water, it wouldn’t go for around 10 minutes,” he said.
“We had to take off the engine lid and play around – we almost packed up and went home.
“By this time, we think the boat may have already started filling with water.”
The group eased its way out to sea slowly, fishing a kilometre from the shore, before moving spots twice to get two kilometres into the ocean.
“We were sitting there, and we got really occupied as we started catching a bit,” Thane said.
“The whole hull had filled up, we think, and water started coming through the floor.
He said the group realised they were in trouble, started the engine and attempted to make it closer to shore as quickly as possible.
However, the boat began to flip backwards and the motor wouldn’t start again.
“We decided that we were going down and accepted it,” Thane said.
“Adam got on the phone as quick as he could and rang 000, while we chucked on life vests.”
The boat began to sink at 9.30am and the four sat on the nose of the boat, trying to get the attention of fishermen around 400 metres away, but it didn’t work.
Police officers, who were unable to return a call to Adam’s phone, patrolled the area but could not see the group.
After the boat was completely submerged, Thane said he and his father stayed together treading water, while the other two attempted to make it back to shore.
“We got a bit cold and delusional – we couldn’t talk and got scared, thinking we wouldn’t make it back,” Thane said.
“I said ‘I’m gonna have to swim to shore’ – I could tell dad was scared. I was. Everyone was.”
Thane said he began swimming on his back towards the shore, as his vision began to go blurry, and called for help as he drew closer to the pier and the shore.
A pedestrian called the police and paramedics at around 10.20am, and people at the shore were able to pull Adam and Thane out of the water, while Brett and Tony were picked up by people in a boat.
“I got about one kilometre in and the next thing I remember is waking up in hospital,” Brett said.
“It was horrifying – I was starting to cramp and I knew I wasn’t going to make it to shore.
“It was the battle of the fittest in the end and the fittest got through to the shore,” he said.
Thane was taken to Dandenong Hospital with two of the others, while one of the men was taken to Frankston Hospital – all were treated for hypothermia.
All of the men were home in time for the weekend with no long-term injuries and Thane said he would like to thank everyone who helped on the day and those wishing him well.
“It’s the closest to death I’ve ever been – I’m still getting to grips that we’re still alive,” he said.
“We were so lucky.”
Victoria Police Sergeant Adrian Sinclair said the group was lucky to survive in the cold water.
“It could have ended very differently and these four were lucky to escape with their lives,” he said.
He said that all boat operators need to ensure their boat is seaworthy and that life jackets must be kept on board vessels smaller than 4.8 metres.
Water Police officers are investigating where and why the boat sank.
