Dramatic footage captured the moment police had to use a helicopter to rescue a couple who ignored road closures and became stranded on a remote track.
The video shows officers angrily shouting, “Roads are closed here, that’s the whole point!” and “You shouldn’t be in this area!” after finally locating the pair, who had been stuck for three days. The 21-year-old man and 19-year-old woman, both from the Tablelands region of Queensland, Australia, had driven onto Cape Melville Track, which had been closed due to severe weather conditions. The police were forced to deploy a helicopter to winch the couple to safety.
Cape Melville National Park is closed annually from December 1 to July 31 due to impassable roads during this period. Fortunately, the couple only sustained minor cuts and abrasions from their ordeal. It is believed they were planning a camping trip and had set up their gear before the weather made the track impassable.
“It’s fortunate they had enough food and water to survive for a few days, but the terrain is incredibly challenging, especially during the wet season,” said Special Constable Adam Tickner. “These roads are closed for a reason, and phone reception is limited.”
He also issued a safety warning for travellers, saying: “When heading into remote areas like the Cape, make sure you have a satellite phone, a personal locator beacon, recovery gear, spare parts, a first-aid kit, and sufficient food, water, and fuel.”
Travellers to Far North Queensland’s remote regions are advised to plan ahead, check for park alerts, and monitor road conditions through Queensland Traffic or local council websites before embarking on their journey.
Last year, another Aussie couple were stranded for two nights after managing to escape their flooded car and being stalked by a killer crocodile. They were with their two dogs in remote north west Queensland when they had to be rescued by emergency crews from the Lifeflight rescue helicopter. The pair, who were in their 50s, had no food or bottled water and were treated for dehydration and exposure after three days of 40 degree heat. They managed to attract attention after writing two large “SOS” signs in the sand.
The incident happened near the Staaten River National Park in Queensland’s Gulf Country, well over 300km west of Cairns. State-funded rescue helicopter organisation LifeFlight detailed the rescue, saying the pair were travelling in a 4WD that had been washed away by flood waters after they tried to cross a river and the vehicle was flooded by a large wave.
The couple escaped out of the passenger window and swam through croc-infested waters to shore. The man swam back to get the two dogs out. Neither of the duo had phones on them, which would have been useless anyway due to the lack of mobile signal.
Details from the bizarre incident reveal how the couple were left without any food or clean water and had to drink some of the river water at a massive risk because of the water beast. They wrote two large “SOS” signs in nearby sand in a bid to be seen and rescued.
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