Fossicker dies after boulder crush in remote Cape York
A 44-year-old man from Cairns was crushed and killed under a boulder while fossicking near Laura in Cape York Peninsula.
The man died after becoming trapped under a boulder on a remote track near Laura, about 300 kilometres north-west of Cairns. Emergency services were called to a remote track about 8:30am after reports the man had become trapped.
The man was with a group of people fossicking, the term for searching for gems and rocks. Paramedics attended the scene but the man was declared dead.
His body was flown by rescue helicopter to Cairns. A report will be prepared for the coroner.
- 44 years old
- Victim's age
- 300 kilometres north-west
- Distance from Cairns
- About 8:30am
- Emergency call time
Why it mattersRemote fossicking carries real risks; rescue operations in isolated areas are complex and dangerous.
