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Storm traps father and son
A Melbourne father and son, Bill Kosky and his son from Middle Park, spent more than 12 hours stranded in remote floodwaters after their Toyota became hopelessly bogged in mud in South Australia’s far north following a massive storm.
“spent more than 12 hours stranded in remote floodwaters”
Kosky said, "I drove out towards Lake Eyre on the road and there was a huge storm," and he added, "Everything started to get flooded and I got bogged and I was left there."
With minimal phone signal and no way out, the pair texted emergency services, which contacted the William Creek Hotel for help.
Their rescue came when a billionaire businessman, Tim Roberts, took to the sky in his helicopter to locate and rescue them, with local legend Trevor Wright assisting the aerial search.
Helicopter search and rescue
Roberts had stopped at the pub for the night at the William Creek Hotel, and 7NEWS described how he "took to the sky in his helicopter" with Trevor Wright to find the stranded tourists.
From high above, Kosky said the two stranded tourists appeared as "just a speck on the vast waterlogged landscape," barely visible against the flooded terrain.
PerthNow similarly framed the rescue as a chance encounter, saying Roberts had touched down and stopped at the William Creek Hotel when he overheard locals discussing two travellers who had failed to return.
After the ordeal, Kosky told PerthNow, "I thought you were in the army or something," when he saw Roberts’ helicopter descend.
Lake Eyre tourism risks
The rescue unfolded as tourists swarmed South Australia’s outback to witness a near-full Lake Eyre, but the journey triggered a rescue crisis that left dozens stranded, according to Adelaide Now.
“Tourists are swarming South Australia’s outback to witness a near-full Lake Eyre”
Luxurylaunches reported that Halligan Bay Road, a remote four-wheel-drive route branching off the Oodnadatta Track, offers virtually no reliable mobile phone coverage, and it said Wright later revealed that 28 people had become stranded in the region over the previous 6 weeks.
The Times of India described how heavy rain quickly turned the unsealed dirt road into deep mud and clay, leaving the four-wheel-drive vehicle completely stuck, and it said the pair were forced to spend the night alone in the dark.
As the wet period across South Australia’s outback continued, The Times of India said Halligan Bay Road connects to the Oodnadatta Track and that the area has limited communication services, making emergencies more difficult to handle.