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Beer Cooler, GPS Beacon Save 4 at Sea

Two men and their sons stayed afloat long enough for rescue

By Dustin Lushing,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 6, 2012 6:00 PM CST

(Newser) – Two friends and their sons were saved from drowning by some quick thinking and an unlikely hero: a beer cooler. Scott Smiles and Rick Matthews were on a fishing trip with their 11-year-old sons off the coast of Sydney, Australia, yesterday, when their 40-foot boat started on fire five miles out to sea, reports ABC News. Smiles tossed the cooler overboard as a flotation device, grabbed a GPS emergency beacon, and the group jumped into the 200-feet-deep water. They were able to stay afloat for the 45 minutes it took a rescue chopper to reach them.

It's a flotation device, too.
It's a flotation device, too.   (Shutterstock)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Mr_Joshua
Jan 26, 2012 7:00 AM CST
The manufacturer of this cooler could not buy this sort of positive buzz. I predict they will approach this family to do an advertising deal. I would !! The fact is, speaking as an Aussie, they did not throw it overboard as a flotation device, they were trying to save the beer.  The flotation idea was an afterthought. And you can call me............Mr Joshua
Riffran
Jan 7, 2012 5:12 AM CST
Now THAt's a fosters commercial......*backdrop of people holding onto a cooler with no land in sight*  POND...show Fosters.....BEER
finkster
Jan 6, 2012 10:05 PM CST
Yes, but the most important question...was there beer in the cooler?

 
Australia • boat • Sydney • fire • boating • beer cooler

 
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