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Grog run at Palm Island leaves men 32 hours at sea
Five men from the north Queensland community of Palm Island have been rescued after drifting at sea in a leaky boat for 32 hours after their grog run turned bad.

The men told relatives on Monday they were going fishing on nearby Pandora Reef but instead headed for the Forrest Beach Hotel, near Ingham on the mainland, where they each bought a carton of beer.

Their four-metre dinghy ran out of fuel on the return journey and they drifted for 32 hours without food or sleep before being rescued.

Palm Island Mayor Alf Lacy warned of just such an incident after the island's Coolgaree Beach Hotel was forced to close last Monday because of state government laws banning Aboriginal community councils from holding liquor licences.

Police Minister Judy Spence said it was a concern that people might take to the water and put their lives in danger in an attempt to obtain alcohol.

"The police are very aware, particularly on Palm because these restrictions have only been brought in in the last week, that they're going to have to be on the lookout for sly-grogging over Christmas."

Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson said alcohol and boats could be a fatal mix but defended the alcohol restrictions.

"The greater good that comes from trying to reduce the alcohol-related harms and social harm in indigenous communities is just so important, that we have to persevere with it," he said.

The men were found only after initial search attempts were hampered because the men did not say where they were headed and their relatives failed to report them missing for more than 24 hours after they disappeared, said Townsville water police.

Coastguard commander Richard Boulton said the men were bailing out the dinghy when it was located using thermal imaging.

Police were considering charging a man over the lack of safety gear or adequate fuel on the dinghy.
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