Aussie dived in to save NZ sailor after lifeboat mishap

An Australian Navy officer saved four New Zealand sailors from being crushed, then comforted one of them in cold Sydney seawater during last week's lifeboat mishap.

Petty Officer Marty Rigg, from the Royal Australian Navy ship HMAS Manoora, was one of several of his countrymen involved in the rescue when a lifeboat containing 22 crew from HMNZS Endeavour plunged into the sea on August 16.

Petty Officer Rigg said yesterday that he was one of five or six officers who manned the Manoora's patrol vessel when it became apparent there was an emergency.

As fellow officers helped New Zealand sailors, Petty Officer Rigg said he noticed a patrol boat moving dangerously towards the hull of the Endeavour, with three New Zealand sailors in the water nearby, supporting a badly injured crewman.

"I noticed the DMS [patrol] boat was moving into the hull of Endeavour, so I had to push that off otherwise it would have crushed them."

He then jumped into the sea to help the four to safety.

"The injured Kiwi was in obvious pain," said Petty Officer Rigg. "The three people supporting him were all becoming overcome by the cold and I guess it was 10-15 minutes after the incident by this stage. I can definitely say the water was very, very cold."

They were all assisted back into the patrol boat. "We got coats and jackets over him [the injured sailor] and I cuddled him until we came up to the Manoora," said Petty Officer Rigg.

He said the man had become vague in the water a couple of times.

"I was just trying to keep him conscious. I believe his temperature got down to 32.5 degrees so he was actually quite cold."

Petty Officer Rigg said he did not know the injured man's first name, but during their conversation in the water he found he was a cook on board the Endeavour.

The pair were reunited at Garden Island Naval Base yesterday before the Endeavour, the New Zealand Navy's supply ship, sailed to Singapore.

The injured cook did not sail, but will return to New Zealand when his back injuries recover enough to travel.

The New Zealand Navy is not naming the injured sailors and would not allow New Zealand media to interview them yesterday.

Endeavour captain Commander David Hedgley yesterday praised the rescues. "What happened is really a tribute to teamwork and the Anzac spirit," he said.

- NZPA