The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) launched a search and rescue operation for the fisherman after detecting his registered distress beacon at 1.20 am AEST.
AMSA tasked one of its dedicated Challenger search and rescue jets to the area, which located the man’s upturned boat at 6.45 am about 75 kilometres northwest of Karumba.
Queensland Police Service, Burketown and Karumba Volunteer Marine Rescue, a Queensland Government rescue helicopter from Cairns, and three additional fixed-wing aircraft were also used in the search. The rescue helicopter located the fisherman and a volunteer marine rescue vessel retrieved him alive from the water at about 2 pm. AMSA would like to thank everyone involved in today’s search and rescue operation.