TOBRUK is True Blue
May 3, 1999
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HMAS TOBRUK….truly an Aussie
ship
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The question came at the conclusion of a successful rescue by TOBRUK's helicopter of seven men from the racing yacht Mayhem which had gone aground on Pixie Reef near Cairns.
Kasteel had come about to aid Mayhem.
The radio discussion between the two yachting captains had been overheard by LEUT John Cowan, the Canadian born navigation officer in TOBRUK, then sailing nearby on her way to the Philippines.
LEUT Cowan entered into the conversation with the yachtsmen and it was his accent, mistaken for that of an American, which prompted the inquiry about the country of origin of TOBRUK.
The dramatic rescue took place on Saturday, April 10, while CMDR Allan Du Toit took TOBRUK through the inner Great Barrier Reef.
She was seven nautical miles away from Mayhem when the latter reported being aground.
Mayhem thanked TOBRUK for her immediate offer of help but said his 11-metre yacht was not taking water and he hoped it would soon float free.
TOBRUK continued to monitor the situation by radio and alerted the Cairns Coastguard. As a precaution CMDR Du Toit asked that his ship's Sea King be readied in case the situation soured.
It did, when at 8.10 pm Mayhem called TOBRUK to say the yacht now had a longitudinal crack in the hull and was taking water.
Mayhem asked if a seaboat could tow the yacht clear, and or, evacuate the crew.
CMDR Du Toit responded it was too dangerous to send a boat and a few minutes later he launched Shark 10 with LEUT Dom Cooper, LEUT Chris Money, POA Kerwyn Ballico and POA Brian Lee aboard.
These naval aviators were involved in the Sydney to Hobart rescues earlier this year and minutes later they were to find they had to rescue several yachtsmen who were also involved in the January rescue emergency.
As the Sea King headed to the scene Mayhem fired a red flare. LEUT Cooper found the yacht 200 metres from the edge of the reef and taking water.
He offered by radio to lift the seven clear. They accepted.
Because the yacht was still rolling through 60 to 70 degrees, her mast proved a snag threat to the winch cable of the helicopter if the crew were to make the direct deck-to-aircraft rescue.
The hi-line technique was adopted and Brian Lee was lowered to the scene to brief the seven.
Two at a time the men were winched aboard in a rescue lasting 15 minutes.
POA Lee and the master of Mayhem were the last to leave.
LEUT Cooper flew the seven to Cairns Airport. They were not hurt.
By SBLT Patricia Thompson