Pensioner's Boat Stuck, Agency Blamed

0:00It's April 7th. This is Adelaide News today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. A 67-year-old disability pensioner on Kangaroo Island is staring down a $60,000 bill to yank his stranded boat off a beach. George John from American Rivers says his pride and joy, a 45-foot steel cap and cruiser, has been stuck there for over 18 months after. Marine Safety SA dropped the ball on helping him reflote it. Back in August 19th, 2024, the boat broke its moorings in the harbor and hit a sandbank. John had mates ready to pull it free on high tide, but a call from the agency's compliance manager told him to leave it put until they figured out a plan. Problem was, they never called back despite his messages. Now the boat's way up the beach, battered by rust, vandalism, and theft. As a pensioner, running his home on homemade batteries and his car on cooking oil, John's hit with severe depression and anxiety, even suicidal, thoughts from the stress.

1:03South Australia's Ombudsman ruled last June that Marine Safety SA messed up with inconsistent directions and ignored voicemails, causing needless delays and costs. But the Department of Infrastructure and Transport is still mulling it over and insists the owners on the hook for recovery. John's pleading for the agency to buy the wreck or step up, warning this could snag other boat owners too, leaving folks like him high and dry when all. They needed was clear guidance from the start.