Ocean ordeal after fishing boat capsizes

Three men and a woman have survived a seagoing ordeal after their boat was crashed by a freak wave in the early hours of the morning.

The quartet were fishing about two kilometres off Port Hughes on the South Australian coast when their small tinny capsized at about 2am.

One of the men on board, 63-year-old Sergio Bonetti, twice tried to swim towards the shore but was unable to make it and returned to cling to the boat.

The two other men decided to strike out for land and find help, while Mr Bonetti and a 30-year-old woman.

Guided by just faint lights on the coast, the first swimmer reached the shore by 6am, and was found by locals walking along the beach.

The other swimmer also made it to shore.

By now, Mr Bonetti and the woman had been clinging to the upturned boat for almost five hours.

Luckily they were rescued not long after day break by a passing fisherman.

Mr Bonetti said he and his companions had life jackets with them but were not wearing them when the boat capsized.

He urged other people not to make the same mistake.

All four people were taken to Wallaroo Hospital where events took a further turn.

Police allege the woman refused to give her name or a blood sample, and then damaged hospital property.

She has been arrested and charged.