Norfolk woman witnessed refugee drama

NEW Norfolk paramedic Rebecca Lynd featured in the Leaky Boat documentary that appeared on ABC TV last week. The former sailor was also a guest in the audience of the Q&A program that followed.

Ms Lynd spoke as as an eyewitness to the sinking of SIEV 4 - the refugee vessel that became famous as the "children overboard" boat in 2001.

Ms Lynd was born in Hobart and grew up in the Derwent Valley. She attended New Norfolk High School and joined the Royal Australian Navy at 19 years of age in 1998. After completing training as a marine technician at HMAS Cerberus she was posted to HMAS Kuttabul before gaining a position on the the frigate HMAS Adelaide.

Ms Lynd spent the next three years at sea, seeing active duty in East Timor and the Persian Gulf. HMAS Adelaidee earned battle honours for East Timor in 1999 and the Persian Gulf in 2001–02. Rebecca went back to HMAS Kuttabul for a shore posting and promotion to Leading Seaman. She rejoined HMAS Adelaide in 2003 for the rest of her naval career, culminating in her discharge in 2005 to train as a paramedic in the Northern Territory.

In 2010 Bec and her partner moved back to Tasmania. She is now employed by Ambulance Tasmania.

As well as her television appearance Ms Lynd also featured in the The Age newspaper last week. That article can be read here. The Leaky Boat documentary can be seen here and the Q&A program can be seen here.