Boat explosion survivor describes ordeal: ‘When all that fire embraced my body, I was just desperate to get out’

“I remember my mother once told me if I ever caught fire, I was to drop to the ground and roll over and over and back and forth until the flames were out. I looked at my legs and started screaming; all I saw was my skin white, hanging down,” says Brazilian businesswoman Karoline Santana, 25, who suffered horrific burns to 30 per cent of her body after the boat she was in exploded on the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney.

Karoline Santana in hospital: boat exploded minutes after stopping to refuel Source: Greg Manning FB page/ Supplied

Key Points

• On Easter Sunday, April 4, a group of friends were on board a small vessel on the Hawkesbury River in Sydney, including Brazilian Karoline Santana, 25, and her husband Sam Chan.
• Later in the afternoon, seconds after the captain refueled the vessel and turned on the ignition, the boat exploded.
• CCTV footage shows people running and panicking, leaving the boat on fire.
• Ms Santana is still at the North Shore Hospital in Sydney, where she shared her harrowing experience with SBS Portuguese.
• New South Wales police said the investigation into the cause of the explosion continues.

Alone, waiting for the family who is desperately trying to leave Brazil to be with their only daughter in Sydney, Brazilian businesswoman Karoline Santana,25, is receiving the sole support from her husband, Sam Chan, who was also on the boat and suffered burns to 5% of his body, when the vessel suddenly exploded. 

Everything happened so fast that Ms Santana says she is still struggling to comprehend what went wrong. How a beautiful day with friends could turn into an inferno.

On Easter Sunday, April 4, the young Brazilian beauty businesswoman was enjoying a sunny day on board of boat on the Hawkesbury River, north of Sydney.

"The day was wonderful, blue sky," recalls Ms Santana. The group was celebrating two birthdays and were friends of her husband. 

But what was supposed to be a pleasant river trip with friends turned into a burning hell after the boat they were on burst into flames.

What was supposed to be a boat trip with friends on a sunny day turned into a nightmare that put lives at risk Source: Greg Manning FB page

"It was a wonderful day and to end how it ended..."

Images captured by CCTV showed the explosion of the 28-foot boat and people running out of the vessel, falling on top of each other.

“After stopping to refuel, as soon as the captain started the ignition, the boat exploded. I can't explain what I felt when all that fire embraced my body, and the desperation to get out of that boat, the desperation to try to save myself,” recalls Ms Santana.

"I haven't had a graft yet, I am 25 years old, the doctors are hoping that my skin will regenerate itself. With each dressing change, they sedate us.” Source: GFM page

“I remember rolling over on the ground, I remember that my mother told me if I ever caught fire, I was to drop to the ground and roll over and over and back and forth until the flames were out. I looked at my legs and started screaming, because all I saw was my white skin, my skin hanging down.”

A shopping centre near the marina has turned into a makeshift hospital emergency wing, with people running around with containers of water or hoses to ease the excruciating pain of those suffering from their pain until the arrival of the paramedics.

Karoline Santana and friends on the boat, before the explosion Source: Supplied

“I was sitting on the floor in a panic state, asking my husband, how was my face, asking for help. When I looked down, I was no longer on fire, but the pain was inexplicable. Someone lifted me and put me in a cold shower, the pain grew, it continued to burn, even though there was no more fire,” says Ms Santana.

“We are sedated at each dressing change and skin scraping”.

Ms Santana remains at the Royal North Shore hospital in Sydney, where she is recovering from the severe burns that covered 30% of her body. Sam Chan, her husband, was discharged but remains by her side.

Mirka, Sydney manager at an organic retail store, was also on the boat and is recovering in hospital. Source: GFM page

"When I arrived at the hospital - the first time they did the scrape to remove the hanging flesh, they sedated me, but I was still in shock and very aware of everything that was happening, it was very traumatic," she recalls.

At least four people remain in the hospital with severe burns, all in the same wing as Karoline. A young Mexican woman remains in the Intensive Care Unit, with 60% of her body burned.

Sam Chan was also on the boat and suffered burns to 5% of his body, when the vessel suddenly exploded Source: Supplied

“I went through four procedures where they put me under general anaesthesia and rub the skin to remove all the dead flesh, and the bacteria, I have done this 4 times. I haven't had a graft yet, I am 25 years old, the doctors are hoping that my skin will regenerate itself. With each dressing change, they sedate us.”

“Karoline is incredibly brave, even in talking to you and recounting her experience, we are now getting together to bring her parents to Australia as she has no one here,” said Mr Chan referring to the Go Fund Me page organised for all victims. 

It was a wonderful day, and to end as it ended, to look at my photos from the past and look at me now and think that this is the Karoline I have to accept now, it will be difficult, but am thankful to be alive. Now I am on the road to recovery. We have to look at this as a second chance to live.

Karoline and Sam: "My family is not here but at least Sam is" Source: GFM page

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