Comments Off on Marine Rescue Iluka Yamba crew rescue man from Clarence River after boat overturns
Volunteers from Marine Rescue Iluka Yamba rescued a man from the Clarence River this morning after his boat overturned off Goodwood Island.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said a radio operator at Marine Rescue Iluka Yamba received a call from a member of the public at 9:19 am (Friday 21 November), reporting that the person was in the water and their vessel was sinking.
“The crew on board Marine Rescue NSW vessel Iluka Yamba 30 were out training and responded rapidly.
“Thankfully, a boater also responded and monitored the man in the water until IY 30 arrived.
“The crew on board IY 30 retrieved the man from the water while our radio operator organised an ambulance.
“The man was conscious but very cold. His 3–4 metre runabout had overturned and become inundated.
“He was transported by Iluka Yamba 30 to the Iluka boat ramp, where he was met by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
“The man was extremely fortunate; he was wearing a lifejacket which helped save his life. If it had not been for the member of the public calling through the emergency and the quick response by our volunteers, this incident could have had a much different outcome,” Inspector Murray said.
Because the man’s boat was a navigational hazard, and at the request of NSW Police Marine Area Command, volunteers on board Marine Rescue NSW vessel Iluka Yamba 20 righted the vessel and towed it to shore.
Comments Off on Marathon Marine Rescue NSW mission returns missing sailors safely to shore
Volunteers from Marine Rescue Iluka Yamba, with communications support from Marine Rescue Port Macquarie, have rescued two men missing on an 8.4-metre catamaran and returned them to shore following an eight-and-a-half-hour search and rescue mission.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said volunteers at the Marine Rescue Port Macquarie radio hub received a call from the missing vessel at around 9pm last night (Sunday 28 September). The men were approximately 22 nautical miles (40km) east of Sandon Shoal.
“Marine Rescue Iluka Yamba was tasked by NSW Police Marine Area Command to rescue the two sailors.
“A volunteer crew was assembled and rescue vessel Iluka Yamba 30 deployed for the mission.
“AMSA diverted the AMSA Challenger aircraft to the location reported by one of the occupants of the missing catamaran and provided updated positional information to the crew on board Iluka Yamba 30.
“Conditions were challenging offshore, with a 1.5-metre swell and wind chop.
“IY 30 reached the vessel, which was 26 nautical miles (48km) south-east of Yamba, just after 11pm. The crew checked on the welfare of the two men on board and secured a towline before beginning the journey back to Yamba Marina,” he said.
“It was a slow seven-and-a-half-hour trip back to Yamba, with the sailors safely returned to land at 6.30am (Monday 29 September),” Inspector Murray said.
“The two men were extremely fatigued but grateful for the assistance provided.
“The volunteer crew on board Iluka Yamba 30 was also fatigued, but they persevered in challenging conditions, while the communications support provided by radio operators from Marine Rescue Port Macquarie was exceptional.
“Our volunteers, at sea and on land, have had a very long night, but their dedication to the boating community is outstanding. They will all enjoy a rest today,” he said.
Comments Off on All Systems Go: Marine Rescue NSW to host full-scale emergency simulation off Tweed Heads
Almost 60 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers and staff from the Northern Rivers region will converge on Tweed Heads this Saturday (31 May) for a major simulated offshore multi-agency search and rescue exercise (SAREX).
Marine Rescue NSW Northern Zone Commander Darren Hulm said volunteers from the Point Danger, Brunswick, Ballina, Evans Head, Iluka Yamba and Wooli units would hone their skills on boats and rescue watercraft (jet skis) alongside other NSW and Queensland agencies.
“It is really important for our crews to make sure that their training and skills are put into practice for these major search and rescue exercises.
“This weekend sees Marine Rescue NSW training with our partner agencies in NSW Police Marine Area Command, Marine Rescue QLD and Queensland Water Police, along with Surf Lifesaving NSW.
“Because we’re on the border, we’ve included our neighbouring agencies. It is a perfect opportunity for inter-agency participation, so that when something does happen, our units are well placed to respond.
“On the back of the recent cyclone, it’s important to acknowledge the efforts that all emergency service agencies go to when something of that scale happens. We are all in a position where we have worked together previously,” he said.
Seven vessels, including Marine Rescue NSW boats from the Point Danger, Ballina and Wooli units, will be on the water during the SAREX, along with four rescue watercraft (RWC) from Marine Rescue Point Danger and Brunswick. NSW Police PolAir and a Lifesaver Rescue helicopter will also take part in the exercise.
“The crews will be given a scenario where they’ll go out (offshore) and search an area looking for targets. They won’t be informed of the scenario until the morning of the SAREX – it puts our crews in a position where they are rescue-ready to respond as required,” Zone Commander Hulm said.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said the simulation would see crews searching a large area offshore from 8:30 am this Saturday, 31 May.
“The vessels will be covering from Cook Island in the south all the way up to Rainbow Bay Beach, and up to four nautical miles (7 km) eastward, while the Marine Rescue NSW RWCs will be covering the beach along Fingal.”
Inspector Murray said members of the public should not be alarmed by the large number of rescue vessels off Tweed Heads this Saturday.
“People will enjoy great viewing opportunities of the offshore exercise from the Captain Cook Lighthouse at Point Danger.
“The public can expect to see the vessels all in a line, travelling at 10 knots (18.5 km/h), going north to south approximately a quarter of a mile apart (until approximately 12 pm).
“They will be searching for objects in the water – manikins and debris – which are the targets they will be trying to retrieve,” he said.
While the on-water exercise is taking place, more than a dozen Marine Rescue NSW volunteer radio operators from across the region will sharpen their skills with a desktop search and rescue exercise at the Marine Rescue Point Danger training facility at Duranbah Beach.
“It is a simulated desktop exercise involving all aspects of our radio operations and emergency management.
“It is important for our radio operators to practise in a controlled environment with simulated pressure so they can develop and execute communication and navigation plans effectively.
“Clear and concise communication is paramount during search and rescue missions,” Inspector Murray said.
Zone Commander Hulm said all Marine Rescue NSW Northern Rivers units involved would maintain radio and on-water response in their local areas during the exercise.
“The community can be assured that in the event of a real emergency on our waterways, our rescue craft and crews are ready to respond,” he said.
