On Sunday 15 October 2017 police were advised of a stricken vessel, a 41 foot steel cruiser called ‘Independent’ that had lost all power and was approximately 1.5 nautical miles west of Waterhouse Island and being blown onto rocks. The vessel was bound for Victoria at the time of the incident.

The skipper reported that they would soon need to enter a life raft that they had with them as they were drifting toward the island in rough seas.

Tasmania Police coordinated the response to the incident, which involved the use of the AMSAR Challenger jet, the police rescue helicopter, and with a Surf Lifesaving Jet boat from Bridport.

The AMSAR Challenger aircraft located the vessel and were able to maintain communications and observations of the vessel as the 3 people on board.  Those people were forced to leave the vessel as it ran aground on Waterhouse Island.

The three men from the vessel managed to make Waterhouse Island without injury and were met by the Surf Lifesaving vessel.  All 3 people are safe and well and were not injured in the incident.

The vessel is currently washed onto rocks on Waterhouse Island.  The Environment Protection Agency is liaising with the owner of the vessel concerning issues that may arise as a result of the vessel being washed ashore.