UPDATE: Boy, 7, who was rescued from ocean WAKES from coma

Julian Hohnen was airlifted to hospital after boating tragedy

June 11 2019

UPDATE:

A young boy who spent six hours clinging to an esky with his dad after their fishing boat capsized in freezing cold water has woken up from his coma and spoken with his parents.

His family said in a statement: "Our son has improved significantly today and is now in a stable condition and talking to us."

This is a testament to his fighting spirit. He still requires further assessment, but his ­improvement today has given us hope."

The boy had been fishing with his father and a family friend at the weekend when their boat tragically capsized. They had to tread water for several hours before being rescued by emergency service.

Julian Honan, 7, was then placed in an induced coma, but woke on Monday.

 

EARLIER:

A seven-year-old boy is in hospital in an induced coma after a fishing boat sunk leaving him and two men in the water for six hours.

The night fishing trip ended in disaster off Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast at 2am when the boat started to take on water.

Police were called after they received a distress signal from the area and Julian Hohnen, seven, was winched from the water, airlifted to hospital and placed in an induced coma at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

 

Nine

Nine

 

His father, Maike Hohnen, 39 and friend Stephen Jeacocke, 48 were both taken to hospital too.

They spent hours holding little Julian above the water while finding anything they could in the water to keep them afloat as it's believed none of them were wearing lifejackets, according to 7News.com.au.

Police confirmed it had taken a while to find the trio in the water because of choppy conditions, and an ambulance spokesman said all three had hypothermia. 

Coastguard Caloundra volunteer deputy commander Kevin Wager told the Sunshine Coast Daily that nine boats had contributed to the search.

 “The three hadn't drifted very far we think, but it is quite difficult to pick people up in the water, the conditions were really choppy,' he said.

'The water temperature was about 21C, so not freezing but it would not have been good for a child. Thankfully it had a good outcome,' he said. 

 

Julian Honan/Nine

Julian Honan/Nine

 

Julian remains in hospital in a critical condition and may be flown to Brisbane for further treatment.