NSW Maritime issues carbon monoxide warning
NSW Maritime has issued a warning to boaters about the risks of carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhausts after a man almost died on a moored vessel on Lake Macquarie, in April this year.
A NSW Maritime investigation found the 67-year-old had boarded his vessel at its mooring and then left the inboard petrol engine run to charge the battery. The weather was poor so the man rolled up the centre part of the storm covers and left the cabin windows shut, thereby reducing fresh air circulation.
He was found slumped unconscious over the helm by a nearby skipper who was concerned by how long the engine was running. The skipper started CPR, assisted by an off-duty lifeguard, while another boater called triple zero.