Dying fisherman hears family farewells

By NZPA and MONIQUE DEVEREUX

Hugh Hope was read messages from his family before he died trapped in machinery on board a ship in the Southern Ocean.

He suffered horrific injuries when his lower body became entangled in a fish processing machine but he was able to acknowledge fax messages from his wife and children.

The crew on board the Aoraki discussed using a video to allow Mr Hope to make his goodbyes but he could communicate only with short replies because of the pain. Mr Hope died yesterday despite the rescue attempt on Monday by a Te Anau helicopter team who travelled 811km to Aoraki, a 67m Sealord fishing boat.

Within minutes of being winched aboard, Dunedin-based paramedic Doug Flett could see there was no chance of freeing Mr Hope - one leg had been severed and his lower body was wedged tightly in the mechanism.

If released, massive bleeding and possible toxic shock could have killed him. Working in cramped quarters below the waterline in the bowels of the ship with a revolting fish stench in the air and suffering from sea sickness in the 5m swells, Mr Flett and medics administered pain relief, fluids, blood and oxygen.

"We tried to make him as comfortable as possible," he said.

The supply of medical oxygen ran out as the ship ploughed its way home, so tanks containing oxygen used for welding were used.

"The odds were stacked against him."

The Aoraki spent 25 hours ploughing north 550km to Bluff where rescue crews with heavy equipment were ready but before they sighted the mainland Mr Hope died.

The sun had just set last night when the Aoraki glided past Stirling Point on its way into Bluff.

On land, Jenny Hope watched as the body of her 61-year-old husband arrived, still entangled in the machinery he had worked for many years. She had not been expecting her husband, a commercial fisherman from Nelson, back from sea for at least a month, on what was probably his last long trip.

She is expecting her three adult children to join her from their homes overseas by mid-morning, after which they will take the body back to Nelson for burial.

About 50 people watched the sombre journey from the lookout point. One local woman said she had not known Mr Hope had died until she heard it on the 6pm radio news but wanted to "see her in" (the ship) as a mark of respect.

Maritime Safety Authority officials and Sealord representatives met the Aoraki along with emergency services, which began the grim task of cutting Mr Hope's body free from the machinery.