Port Lincoln, South Australia: Uni professor and son survive after three killed in fishing boat capsize

A fisherman who was one of three killed when his boat sank off the coast of South Australia had beaten cancer twice, his devastated loved ones have revealed, while a prominent academic and his son survived the horror fishing trip.

Five people were on board the ill-fated boat when it capsized at around 4pm on Monday, near Spilsby Island off Port Lincoln.

Flinders University professor Danny Eckert, 44, and his 12-year-old son were found clinging to a reef about 2am on Tuesday.

The couple were taken to safety after spending more than 10 hours in icy waters and taken to Port Lincoln Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Tragically, they were the only survivors: Danny’s father Paul, 73, his brother Tom, 40, and Paul’s close friend and captain Alan Bottrill, 71, died when their 6.2 meter boat was hit. by a strange wave.

Bottrill’s wife, Pamela, and children, Rónán and Amélie, said in a statement that the 71-year-old had battled cancer twice.

“Alan was 71 years old and still an adventurer who loved to fish, play golf and travel with friends and family,” the statement read.

“He leaves behind a wife, two children and two grandchildren who will miss him dearly.”

Bottrill said her husband was an experienced fisherman, who “never” imagined he would be killed doing the hobby he loves.

He said the group had taken off in “calm seas” on the day of the accident.

‘Alan had always loved fishing and had a lot of experience in both boating and fishing. “We understand there was a ‘strange’ wave which did not allow time to activate normal safety procedures,” Ms Bottrill said. The advertiser.

“We have no information about what really happened.”

Bottrill and Paul had been fishing together for more than a decade after meeting while working at SA Health.

One of the couple’s former colleagues, Kylie Peterson, said the duo were “extremely adventurous” and people you would want to “live vicariously” with.

“Mr. Bottrill was the kind of person you would sit and listen to and say, ‘God, I wish I had that spirit of adventure,'” she said.

A large-scale rescue operation was launched for the fishermen after relatives alerted police shortly after 8.30pm on Monday because they were not returning.

The search also involved a police helicopter, police water officers, local maritime rescue boats, a Challenger aircraft and the P&O cruise ship Pacific Explorer.

Police will now prepare reports for the coroner.

South Australian Police Superintendent Paul Bahr said Professor Eckert and his son were treated for hypothermia after they were taken to safety.

“The ship has also been located and is on its way back to Port Lincoln,” Superintendent Bahr said.

“This will be discharged later today and will be subject to further forensic examination and any examination the coroner may require.”

Danny Eckert is Professor of Medicine and Public Health at Flinders University and director of the school’s world-leading Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health.

The American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine awarded him the Pierre Robin Award in 2019 for his “exceptional initiative and progress in the areas of academic education and research with original contributions to dental sleep medicine.”