Latest news with #SSYongala
The Irish Sun
07-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
Diver rescued after surviving for 5 DAYS in underwater cave.. and had incredible first request after being saved
His oxygen tank was down to just four per cent when he was found DIVE DRAMA Diver rescued after surviving for 5 DAYS in underwater cave.. and had incredible first request after being saved A DIVER was miraculously rescued after five days trapped in an underwater cave. Wang, from Hunan province in central China, was pulled from the water seemingly unscathed but had one very specific request. Advertisement 2 Wang was rescued after five days underwater 2 A rescue team said they heard what sounded like knocks on the cave's surface Buried nine metres below the surface, the 40-year-old diving enthusiast lived off a diet of raw fish before he was astonishingly rescued. He survived thanks to an air pocket that allowed him to breathe in the water. His first words to his rescuers were: 'Do you have a cigarette?' He reportedly went missing just five minutes after plunging into the river with a friend, where he became trapped in the water's complex network of caves. Advertisement Cops immediately launched a search operation with the help of Xiangxi Shuguans Rescue team and special police forces, South China Morning Post reports. A specialist team carried out two initial deep dives when they heard what sounded like someone knocking on the rocks. They switched off the boat engines to get a better listen but the sound didn't return. On their third dive, they spotted Wang - whose oxygen supply had dropped to just four per cent at this point - who lunged into the water waving his flashlight. Advertisement Tian Yanglin, the captain of the rescue team, said 'that moment was his last chance." Wang didn't sustain any injuries and even walked to the ambulance. His story has sparked widespread discussion online with many calling his rescue a "miracle". Tourist found dead in jaws of shark with arm ripped off as another diver drowns after being swept away from scuba group One person said: 'Nine metres underwater, pitch black, survived for five days. Unbelievable. A true miracle. His mind did not collapse. What incredible willpower!' Advertisement 'To survive five days and still be in good condition, he is not just lucky, he is superhuman,' said another. While a third asked: 'It must have been pitch black in that cave. I am really wondering, how did he manage to catch fish?' This isn't the first time a diver has been rescued alive from perilous waters. In 2016, a terrified scuba diver was found after being lost at sea for more than 14 hours in shark-infested waters. Advertisement Incredible footage showed the 68-year-old being tossed around in the waves off the coast of Australia before he is winched to safety. He had been exploring wreck of the SS Yongala alone in the Coral Sea before he failed to return. The diver was eventually found by a search helicopter off the coast of Queensland more than 30 miles away from the shipwreck.
Scottish Sun
07-08-2025
- Scottish Sun
Diver rescued after surviving for 5 DAYS in underwater cave.. and had incredible first request after being saved
His oxygen tank was down to just four per cent when he was found DIVE DRAMA Diver rescued after surviving for 5 DAYS in underwater cave.. and had incredible first request after being saved Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A DIVER was miraculously rescued after five days trapped in an underwater cave. Wang, from Hunan province in central China, was pulled from the water seemingly unscathed but had one very specific request. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Wang was rescued after five days underwater 2 A rescue team said they heard what sounded like knocks on the cave's surface Buried nine metres below the surface, the 40-year-old diving enthusiast lived off a diet of raw fish before he was astonishingly rescued. He survived thanks to an air pocket that allowed him to breathe in the water. His first words to his rescuers were: 'Do you have a cigarette?' He reportedly went missing just five minutes after plunging into the river with a friend, where he became trapped in the water's complex network of caves. Cops immediately launched a search operation with the help of Xiangxi Shuguans Rescue team and special police forces, South China Morning Post reports. A specialist team carried out two initial deep dives when they heard what sounded like someone knocking on the rocks. They switched off the boat engines to get a better listen but the sound didn't return. On their third dive, they spotted Wang - whose oxygen supply had dropped to just four per cent at this point - who lunged into the water waving his flashlight. Tian Yanglin, the captain of the rescue team, said 'that moment was his last chance." Wang didn't sustain any injuries and even walked to the ambulance. His story has sparked widespread discussion online with many calling his rescue a "miracle". Tourist found dead in jaws of shark with arm ripped off as another diver drowns after being swept away from scuba group One person said: 'Nine metres underwater, pitch black, survived for five days. Unbelievable. A true miracle. His mind did not collapse. What incredible willpower!' 'To survive five days and still be in good condition, he is not just lucky, he is superhuman,' said another. While a third asked: 'It must have been pitch black in that cave. I am really wondering, how did he manage to catch fish?' This isn't the first time a diver has been rescued alive from perilous waters. In 2016, a terrified scuba diver was found after being lost at sea for more than 14 hours in shark-infested waters. Incredible footage showed the 68-year-old being tossed around in the waves off the coast of Australia before he is winched to safety. He had been exploring wreck of the SS Yongala alone in the Coral Sea before he failed to return. The diver was eventually found by a search helicopter off the coast of Queensland more than 30 miles away from the shipwreck.
ABC News
03-05-2025
- ABC News
Queensland government exploring how to preserve historic shipwreck sites
The wreck of the SS Yongala is a diver's Disneyland. After sitting on the ocean floor for more than 100 years, the 110-metre wreck off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland has developed its own ecosystem, and is home to a diverse range of fish species, sharks, rays and turtles. But there's another, darker side to the story of the SS Yongala. And it fascinates archaeologist Celeste Jordan. "Really, it is Disney diving, it's touted as Australia's Titanic," she said. A diver watches a turtle swim around the wreck of the SS Yongala off the coast of Townsville. ( Supplied: Tourism and Events Queensland/Nigel Marsh ) Wrecks deteriorating About 122 people were killed when the luxurious passenger liner sank in 1911 during a cyclone. There were no survivors. The SS Yongala before it was wrecked. ( Supplied: Maritime Museum of Townsville ) Despite a seven-day search, no official trace of the vessel was found until 1958 by divers, though there were reports of it being spotted by the Navy in the 1940s. Ms Jordan works at the state Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation as a principal heritage officer. Celeste Jordan, diving in waters off the coast of north Queensland, is passionate about shipwrecks. ( Supplied: Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation ) She is part of a program searching for the final resting place of wrecks like the SS Yongala, mapping them and investigating how to preserve them. "Understanding ship construction, the cargoes they were carrying, the people on board, what their personal possessions were on board, [it] gives us an understanding of what we were doing [then]," she said. Ms Jordan said while sites naturally deteriorated, weather events being driven by climate change were speeding up the process. For example, she said flooding could affect wrecks through run-off pouring into the ocean, while cyclones increased wave action hitting the boats. Thousands of divers come to experience the abundance of wildlife around the SS Yongala each year. ( Supplied: Tourism and Events Queensland ) In January 2024, waves from Cyclone Kirrily ripped parts of the bow port side of the Yongala shipwreck because the boat was not protected by reefs. Preserving history Ms Jordan said she was investigating potentially scuttling (intentionally sinking) another boat or structural barrier to reduce the impact of rough water on the ship. Another issue for preservation is the threat of coral-eating bacteria. "[It] eats the black coral, and then the black coral dies and then of course … the super structure could fail because the corals don't hold it together as well," Ms Jordan said. She said if no preservation action was taken on the Yongala, it would continue to slowly deteriorate and eventually the wreck's structure would collapse. Ms Jordan said it would be an expensive and challenging exercise to preserve it, and for many shipwrecks, doing nothing could be the best option. Further south in central Queensland, the HMAS Protector forms a breakwater on Heron Island. The rusting remains of the HMAS Protector lie off Heron Island, forming a breakwater. ( ABC News: Jasmine Hines ) It's also a tourism drawcard for the island, with tourists snorkelling around the wreck. It was one of Australia's first Navy ships and the only vessel to serve in three wars, but the rusted relic has decayed significantly in recent years. The HMAS Protector with one of Australia's E class submarines during World War I, by marine artist John Ford. ( Supplied: Royal Australian Navy ) The state government is now urging tourists to avoid swimming around the wreck because of its sharp edges and falling parts. Ms Jordan said the best bet for preserving HMAS Protector would be to fully submerge it, which was not possible because of its location. "Really for the [HMAS] Protector, it's about planning for how it might continue to deteriorate so it doesn't interfere with how people use Heron Island," she said. All wrecked ships and aircraft that are at least 75 years old are protected by underwater cultural heritage legislation. The Queensland government says visitors should avoid swimming near the HMAS Protector wreck. ( ABC News: Jasmine Hines ) Burying wrecks in sand, road crash barriers While Queensland has yet to employ any of these tactics to save underwater wrecks, it has been done elsewhere in Australia. Ms Jordan said more than a decade ago there was some experimental work done preserving historic wrecks in Victoria and Western Australia. In Western Australia, a series of road crash barriers were put around the James Matthews shipwreck. Road crash barriers were used to surround the James Matthews wreck. ( Supplied: WA Museum ) It was then covered in sand to create an anaerobic environment, meaning oxygen could not impact the wreck. "Because it's such a unique example of a type of ship, it was decided that the need to preserve it was of greater importance for our understanding of that type of history than people viewing it," Ms Jordan said. "As researchers and archaeologists, you do have to sometimes weigh that up." The James Matthews under sand following its reburial in 2013. ( Supplied: WA Museum ) Ms Jordan said the James Matthews was historically significant as it was one of only a small number of There are about 1,400 shipwrecks and 150 aircraft in Queensland waters, but only 200 have been found and positively identified. ABC Capricornia — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Friday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
