Fisherman survives ordeal after capsize
An Australian fisherman has been rescued after surviving for 25 hours in the water in a tropical cyclone.
James Palmer, 20, survived mountainous swells whipped up by tropical Cyclone Hamish after first his trawler then his life-raft capsized.
After being thrown out of the life-raft, he grabbed what he thought was a passing stick. Miraculously it turned out to be an emergency distress beacon, which would save his life.
Switching it on, he managed to stay afloat for a day and night before Queensland rescuers, hampered by appalling weather conditions, found him 125 miles from shore and winched him to safety.
However his two fellow crew-members are still missing, and hopes that they are still alive are fading.
Mr Palmer, his uncle, skipper Russell Palmer and crewman Tony Tyndall had anchored the boat on Swains Reef, off Hervey Bay, to ride out the Category Four cyclone that battered the Queensland coast on Sunday and Monday.