JURISDICTION and the tyranny of distance and time played a major role in Marion Parker’s body remaining in the sea near Burrill Lake for almost three hours before being retrieved on November 5.
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Members of the community complained that despite having police, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and surf lifesavers at the scene the woman’s body was left floating in the water.
The retrieval of a body from the sea is under the charter of the Police Marine Area Command. However with its base at Port Kembla it was going to take the Water Police some time for them to arrive at the scene.
Shoalhaven Local Area Commander Superintendent Joe Cassar said it was “a really tricky scenario”.
“If it was a fatal car accident we’ve got the capability of covering the scene up or closing the area,” he said.
“Out in the sea it’s very different.
“And it’s not like a decision was made and we waited until it was executed. The situation was constantly being reviewed.
“There was constant communications that the public were not aware of between all the agencies involved. But we can’t get a loud hailer on the scene and tell the public.
“Sometimes they’re going to see things that don’t make sense,” he said.
Superintendent Cassar said when it came to the retrieval of a body police consider not only retrieving the body, but secondly the welfare of the people performing the task.
“Post-traumatic stress is a big issue even for police,” he said.
“There was concern the body was deceased but it was a retrieval not a rescue.
“Part of a retrieval response is to engage Marine Area Command because it’s under their charter.
“In the end the decision was made to retrieve the body because it was moving out to sea.”
Superintendent Cassar said a decision was made by the supervisor on scene, supported by the inspector, to go ahead with the retrieval.
“We weren’t prepared to wait any longer, at the end of the day we had to retrieve the deceased,” he said.
The police requested surf lifesavers to retrieve the body.
“Surf Life Saving volunteers are some of our best work companions, I can’t compliment them enough for the work they do,” Superintendant Cassar said.
Surf Life Saving NSW spokeswoman Donna Wishart said the volunteers worked under the direction of police or the emergency service in control of the incident.
“We generally don’t like our volunteers to retrieve dead bodies,” she said.
“At first we were told not to retrieve the body as the Water Police were on their way.
“However about 1.15pm police asked us to retrieve it,” she said.
