QLD: Forty spend terrifying night at sea during cyclone

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-1999
QLD: Forty spend terrifying night at sea during cyclone

BRISBANE, Feb 12 AAP - Forty passengers aboard a stricken tourist boat spent a terrifying
night at sea off Port Douglas as cyclone Rona swept across the coast.

The master of the 35-metre steel ketch Atlantic Clipper, which was having engine problems,
radioed authorities late last night seeking to have passengers taken off the boat.

However, cyclonic conditions and winds of 100 nautical miles per hour made retrieval
impossible, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said.

The ship anchored three nautical miles offshore, five nautical miles north of Port Douglas
to brave the cyclone, an AMSA spokesman said.

Cairns police said all passengers aboard the boat were all right, and the boat was due to
arrive in Cairns about 4pm.

The Atlantic Clipper operates tours off Cairns.

AAP sd/wjf/de

KEYWORD: RONA BOAT

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