Facebook movie shows vehicle slide off Fraser Island ferry into water
Shocking movie has emerged of a four-wheel-drive rolling off a barge and into the waters inbetween Fraser Island and the mainland on Saturday morning.
The movie, posted on the Moreton Crime Witness Facebook page, shows the vehicle leisurely rolling off the Manta Ray barge ramp, which was down at the time of the incident, before slipping into the water.
A 4WD spinned off a barge near Fraser Island and into the Excellent Sandy Strait.
Photo: Facebook / Moreton Crime Witness
Amid the chatter heard on the movie from the tourists aboard the vessel, a woman can be heard exclaiming: “All their stuff's in there as well”.
It was believed no one was in the 4WD at the time.
No one was in the 4WD as it flipped off the ferry.
Photo: Facebook / Scott Leslie
Tourist Katrina Lawrence, who was aboard the barge, said the incident was “fairly bizarre”.
She said the boat was departing from Inskip Point at Rainbow Beach, about one hundred fifty kilometres north of the Sunshine Coast, on its way to the island and was about a quarter of the way across the Good Sandy Strait.
Ms Lawrence said the 4WD, which was part of an escapade tours group, began sliding off the barge about 11am, causing scare on the boat.
One man attempted to stop the vehicle by grabbing onto it with his one free palm, but because he was wearing knickers he slipped across the deck with the car.
Tourist Katrina Lawrence took this photo from the ferry after the mishap.
Photo: Katrina Lawrence
“There was no way they could have grabbed it, it was a slow roll but a strenuous car,” Ms Lawrence said.
There was widespread scare onboard the vessel and worried patrons rushed to check whether their vehicles were secure.
Only one vehicle was lost and about thirty seconds later Ms Lawrence said the 4WD sank.
She said a jet ski raced to where the vehicle had gone down and a few other boats converged, but nothing could be done.
Ms Lawrence said she didn't see any barge staff help during the incident, instead a “fairly cranky” staff member told patrons to quiet down.
A masculine voice can be heard on the movie shouting at people to “f—ing chill out”.
A spokeswoman for Manta Ray Fraser Island Barges confirmed the incident happened on one of their barges and an internal investigation had been launched.
Ms Lawrence said the barge turned around to Inskip Point and vehicles were transferred onto another barge.
She said she couldn't understand why the ramp was still down so far into the journey.
She told her daughter not to comeback to their vehicle, placed next to the 4WD which slipped off the barge, before the incident because she was worried she might fall off the vessel.
Some found the funny side – Marty Leishman collective the movie on Facebook with the caption: “Ferry to Fraser Island. check, Food and beer. check, Handbrake. oops”.
Toby Crockford
Toby Crockford is a violating news reporter at the Brisbane Times
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