NSW: Fisherman tells jury about RiverCat hitting dinghy

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2008
NSW: Fisherman tells jury about RiverCat hitting dinghy

By Margaret Scheikowski

SYDNEY, April 2 AAP - A fisherman became emotional today while telling a jury he did
not have time to grab his father before a RiverCat ferry hit their dinghy in Sydney Harbour.

Sam Karatasas was giving evidence at the NSW District Court trial of the RiverCat captain
accused of dangerous navigation causing the death of his father.

Mr Karatasas, 37, said he and his dad, 72-year-old Peter Karatasas, were fishing in
the harbour early on January 5 last year when he saw the RiverCat, the Dawn Fraser.

He recalled "frantically waving my arms", hoping to grab someone's attention so the
vessel could be diverted.

"I think I was yelling at the time `move, divert', I was screaming," he said.

"I screamed to my dad to jump. As it was approaching so fast I did not have time to grab Dad.

"I did not have time to grab Dad," he repeated, as his voice faltered.

Ezra Hilkiah, 52, from Carramar in Sydney's west, has pleaded not guilty to dangerous
navigation occasioning death.

Mr Karatasas died eight days after the crash as a result of the injuries he suffered.

Sam Karatasas told the jury that after he jumped in the water he heard an impact.

"Everything that was on the boat was just floating in the water," he said.

From the time he first saw the RiverCat until he jumped in the water he said the vessel
did not alter its speed or direction.

Mr Karatasas helped his father until another vessel came and he was taken to hospital.

He said he and his dad had belonged to a fishing club and had previously fished near
the harbour bridge as many as 15 times.

There were no restrictions to fishing or drifting in that area, he told the jury.

The trial is continuing before Judge David Freeman.

AAP mss/hn/jfm/de

KEYWORD: HILKIAH

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