Townsville, Queensland, May 29 - A search for the missing skipper of the 13.21 metre prawn trawler Sassanach off north Queensland is being scaled back after 12 vessels and seven helicopters could not find Ron Davis (55). At 0015 hrs Sassenach was in a collision with the 225 metre bulk carrier Asian Nova (36,666 gt) between Palm Island and Brewer Reef.
The trawler sank shortly afterwards. Rescuers plucked a 62-year-old deckhand from the water at 0440. He suffered hypothermia while clinging on to a glassfibre sorting tray for four hours in rough seas, but was otherwise uninjured.
