Police have defended their decision not to immediately search a stormwater drain for two Indigenous men later found dead after floods in Townsville in 2019, saying it was too dangerous for officers.
The bodies of 23-year-old Troy Mathieson and Hughie Morton, 21, were found on February 5, 2019, as water receded in the suburb of Aitkenvale after hundreds of homes were inundated during the floods.
An inquest has heard that an attempt to break into a bottle shop led to their deaths, and police treated the pair as wanted persons instead of missing persons.
On Wednesday, the inquest was told water police and police divers were not believed to be in breach of their duties when surveying the risk of rescue.
Inspector Glen Doyle said his decisions on the night of the men's disappearance were made in accordance with information from Senior Sergeant Joe Matheson.
Insp Doyle told the inquest police were aware one man had entered the water before losing sight of him and it was it was unlikely someone had been sucked into the water.
He was told by Snr Sgt Matheson that a bottle where the drain started was circulating and wasn't sucked down with the water.
"I guess that impacted on my thinking as well," he told the second day of the inquest on Wednesday.
"I was left in my mind that no one had gone in the water and been sucked away. It was their view that it was a possibility, but there was no confirmation."
Water police and police divers told the inquest that the inherent risk of entering rapidly flowing water was too great, and police needed waters to recede before entering the storm drain.
Senior Constable David Yorke said he was first made aware of the incident at 12.23pm on February 4.
Snr Const Yorke was operating from the district disaster coordination centre and was notified via email with information regarding the missing men. He began conducting electronic research of drains in the area.
He was taken to the last known location of the men, where he said the water was high, drain pipes were barely visible and water was rushing rapidly through the drain.
"It was very dangerous, and at that stage, would not recommend anyone entering the water around that drain," Snr Const Yorke said.
"They couldn't have done anything. If they entered the water they would've met the same fate.
"It was so close to where drain enters, by the time you enter the water you'd be sucked through the drain."
Officers were deployed to walk either side of the banks while a helicopter search looked from above, but they were told to stay well clear as floodwater continued to flow rapidly before a lack of light ended their search as police waited for water levels to drop.
At 6am on February 5, the water levels were again too high to enter the drain, with police waiting until 11am, when they had receded enough for divers to enter.
Senior Constable Michael Turner, trained in swiftwater rescue and diving, said at that point water levels were never past hip height, and he "could wade through water comfortably without any push."
He entered the drains alongside two other divers at 11.44am and found a body facing the direction of water flow five minutes later on its side.
After notifying his officer in charge and two other divers, he continued for another 100-150 metres before locating the second body in a similar position.
When asked about how long the men could've survived when going under the volume and flow of the floodwaters, Snr Const Turner said no longer than 30 seconds.
"If your head is under the water, you've pretty much got no chance of pulling yourself above the water unless you've got something to hold on to and drag yourself up," he said.
The inquest continues.
