Aussie tourists have revealed the terrifying moment their boat capsized in Bali, killing a woman, and the chaotic rescue that left them stranded on an island for hours.
The Sea Dragon 2 snorkelling boat flipped about 8.30am local time on March 21, when it was hit by two large waves off Nusa Penida, an island about 15km east of Denpasar in Bali.
Canberra woman Anna Blight died after she was thrown overboard in the accident, which happened just three days after she celebrated her 39th birthday.
Survivors of the crash included Brisbane couple Gabe Hijniakoff and Tam Warrington who said they spent two hours on the upturned hull waiting for rescue, then another several hours on a nearby island before they were taken to hospital.
‘You don’t know what’s up or down. You’re just scrambling to get breath,’ Mr Hijniakoff told 60 Minutes.
‘It was absolutely terrifying. I really did think we were going to die,’ Ms Warrington added.
Lissa and Andreas Abel, who were holidaying in Bali from Estonia, also survived the ordeal with their seven-year-old daughter Alexandra.
They recalled the chilling moment when the boat capsized and Alexandra was trapped under the hull.
The Sea Dragon 2 snorkelling boat flipped on March 21, when it was hit by two large waves off Nusa Penida, an island about 15km east of Denpasar in Bali
Survivors of the crash have recalled the terrifying ordeal
Survivors were picked up by a passing tourist boat and dropped to Kelingking Beach (pictured) and were forced to board a crane to take them to the top of the island’s famous 400-metre cliff
Many of the other tourists suffered burns from engine fuel or battery acid in the water.
The child managed to swim to safety but was vomiting, and with her condition deteriorating fast, she need immediate rescue.
After more than a hour, a passing tourist boat picked up the surviving passengers and dropped them to nearby Kelingking Beach, Nusa Penida.
However, their nightmare was nowhere near over, as the traumatised and injured group were forced to board a dangerous-looking crane to take them to the top of the island’s famous 400-metre cliff.
Once they reached the top, there was no waiting ambulance or medical care.
The passengers had to wait hours before they were ferried back to the mainland and treated at Denpasar Hospital.
Some of the group were snorkelling underwater when the Sea Dragon 2 was hit by a large wave that threw Ms Blight overboard before a second wave hit and capsized the boat in Kelingking waters, local police spokesman Agus Widiono said.
Brisbane couple Gabe Hijniakoff and Tam Warrington said they spent two hours on the upturned hull waiting for rescue
The police chief in charge of the investigation ruled out ‘negligence’ (pictured are survivors being taken up a 400m cliff by a crane after their ‘rescue’)
Canberra woman Anna Blight (pictured) died after she was thrown overboard in the accident
A nearby boat, owned by the same company, arrived to save the survivors as rescuers found the body of Ms Maree.
The capsized boat was recovered and towed to Toyapakeh Harbour.
Local police said the two injured Brisbanites suffered burns to their upper thighs, but they attributed their injuries to the heat from the engine.
They were treated at Griya Medical Clinic before being flown to Denpasar.
The Brisbane couple said they were worried about infection because it was so long before their burns were treated.
Tourist boat accidents are common in Indonesia with the vessels often overcrowded and having poor safety regulations.
Sea Dragon senior manager Kadek Adnyana denied responsibility for any weather concerns despite other boat tour operators reportedly cancelling their trips or turning back on the day of the incident.
He said it would be up to the tour company to cancel the trip as they ‘sell the package’ rather than he as the boat owner.
Tour company IndoCompass has also dismissed responsibility stating it was a tragic accident.
The police chief in charge of the investigation, Ida Bagus Putra Sumerta, said: ‘The conclusion of the police investigation is natural causes, so there’s no negligence.
‘One of the engines hit a log in the water causing the engines to stop, and right about the same time, the big wave hit and flipped the boat.’
