Four survivors arrived on a damaged port lifeboat on 25 February, where they survived by eating raw bird's eggs and drinking rain water that had pooled in the island rocks.

Because rescue was uncertain, the survivors engraved their names on the concave side of a large turtle shell, which is displayed in the South Australian Museum, on North Terrace in Adelaide.

[1] As well as being a national park, Holbourne Island is well known as a natural bird sanctuary and turtle nesting area.

[2] On 2 September 2001, the 50,000 gross ton bulk carrier Pax Phoenix departed Hay Point, Queensland bound for India via Singapore.

[3] Holbourne Island is often referred to as part of the Coral Sea's Bermuda Triangle, as several maritime mysteries are linked to the area.