Steber International general manager Alan Steber has called for a second breakwall to be created on the Harrington bar following a near fatal incident last week.
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A 41 feet tall fishing vessel, skippered by Mr Steber, was hit by a set of cross waves that caused damage.
Mr Steber said even the most experienced skippers would struggle to control a vessel on the water. "If a visiting skipper with no local knowledge had been crossing the bar at the time, there could easily have been fatalities,” he said.
Repairs to the vessel included new windows, electronics and cosmetics.
Mr Steber insisted action needs to be taken to improve safety.
"Every time there is an incident on the bar, talk about a second breakwall rises to the surface but nothing ever gets done to improve safety.
"We have built more than 330 large vessels and refitted more than 150 boats and this was only the second major disaster when crossing the bar,” Mr Steber said.
Harrington is home to the only single breakwall river entrance on the NSW coastline.