After having two vessels out on the water yesterday at Wisemans Ferry, the Marine Rescue NSW flood response has increased today, with the deployment of an additional two vessels from the Central Coast.
Joining Broken Bay 20 and Ulladulla 10 are Central Coast 30T ‘Sealegs’ as well as Central Coast 13.
All four vessels will be helping with reconnaissance, resupply and evacuations in the Wisemans Ferry and lower MacDonald Valley areas.
Marine Rescue NSW liaison officers remain in several locations including at Wisemans Ferry, Rhodes, SES State Headquarters and Metford in the Hunter Valley.
Volunteers from Marine Rescue NSW continue to support the NSW State Emergency Service in the current flood response.
Overnight, six volunteers from Marine Rescue Ulladulla arrived in North West Sydney, and were on site early this morning at the staging point at Wisemans Ferry next to the Wisemans Ferry Bowling Club.
Volunteers prepare to launch Ulladulla 10 at Wisemans Ferry this morning
Their vessel, Ulladulla 10, has now joined Broken Bay 20 that was on location yesterday, in assisting flooded communities.
The two vessels are working in the isolated MacDonald Valley area, undertaking a range of tasks including evacuation and resupply. They are anticipated to remain in the area until late this week.
Elsewhere today, Marine Rescue volunteers and staff are filling liaison roles in several local Emergency Operations Centres.
A Marine Rescue member in the Emergency Operations Centre on the Central Coast on Tuesday 5 July
While no other Marine Rescue assets are on water, there are a number of crews and vessels on standby ready to assist if required, both on the currently flooded rivers near Sydney and on the Central Coast, as well as in areas further north on the Mid North Coast where heavy rain and flooding are expected to develop later today.
One casualty of the flooding has been the Marine Rescue Tuggerah Lakes base at Toukley, where the floodwaters from Tuggerah Lake, at levels not seen in some 140 years, have surrounded the base and flooded the garage.
Following a request from the New South Wales State Emergency Service, crews from Marine Rescue NSW are currently active in two separate areas affected by flooding, with an additional vessel en route.
Today rescue vessel Broken Bay 20 has been helping to evacuate residents from the Lower MacDonald Valley near Wisemans Ferry, including the evacuation of three children. It is expected that Broken Bay 20 will continue to be tasked in the area around Wisemans Ferry for the next few days.
They will be joined tomorrow by rescue vessel Ulladulla 10.
This afternoon rescue vessel Central Coast 30T will be used to help evacuate a female resident who is isolated in her home along the flooded Wyong River.
Marine Rescue NSW crews remain poised to assist further as required.
Having just completed their training, Marine Rescue Eden have undertaken their first rescue mission, supporting NSW Police Marine Area Command in the retrieval of a sick crew member from the bulk carrier Daiwan Falcon.
The vessel had not long left Eden bound for New Zealand when the crew member became ill, forcing it to make an unscheduled return to port for the crew member to receive urgent medical attention.
As the rising sun coloured the southern skies on Saturday 14 May, Marine Rescue Eden rescue vessel X30, with crew Guy Illy, Garry Thornton, Greg Madden, Tom Cousin, Fay Cousin, Roger Barson and Malcolm McConnell headed out to the Pilot Pickup Point at the entrance to Twofold Bay, about two nautical miles offshore. Accompanying them on their maiden mission was Eden Water Police vessel Falcon.
The crew of X30 prepare to head out
While the weather conditions were favourable, a swell of around 3.5 metres made for difficult conditions for the transfer of the ill crew member from the bulk carrier.
The bulk carrier in the distance from X30
The crew member was initially transferred onto the Eden Water Police vessel Falcon, with X30 standing by to retrieve anyone who might have accidentally fallen into the water during the tricky transfer.
Falcon and X30 then moved to calmer waters where the crew member was transferred aboard the Marine Rescue Eden rescue vessel.
Once the patient was safely aboard X30, it proceeded to the wharf at Snug Cove and a waiting ambulance. Here the final transfer occurred, with the crew member assisted to the ambulance who transported him to the nearby Bega Hospital for treatment.
Congratulations to all the members of MR Eden who have trained hard over the past few months to get themselves ready for this, their first call-out. Thank you too for the efforts of the trainers in helping them to achieve this significant milestone.
Representatives from NSW Police Marine Area Command (NSW Police MAC) and Marine Rescue NSW (MRNSW) met today to plan for this year’s round of Search and Rescue Exercises (SAREXs).
The meeting was conducted at the Marine Rescue NSW State Communications Centre in Belrose, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Some of the participants at today’s planning session.
Marine Rescue Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said that the planning day was a great example of agencies working together for the benefit of the community.
“NSW Police MAC and MRNSW regularly collaborate in a series of exercises designed to build understanding between each agency, so when a real emergency strikes, we are able to better respond.”
“These exercises simulate complex, real-life situations, providing our volunteer members with a range of testing senarios that help build their skills and boost intra and cross agency collaboration.”
In attendance today were Deputy Commissioner MRNSW Alex Barrell, Sergeant Ryan Spong, MRNSW Zone Commander Central Darren Schott, Inspector David Carlin, Chief Inspector Tony Brazzill, General Manager Training and Capability Chris Butler, MRNSW Zone Commander South Mike Hammond, MRNSW Zone Commander North Mal Jeffs and Development Officer Sophie Galvin.
Five Marine Rescue NSW crews are now on the water supporting NSW Police Marine Area Command in the search for a fisherman missing in the Illawarra.
The fisherman disappeared from rocks near Kiama, with the search now encompassing an area from Kiama down to Jervis Bay.
Crews from five Marine Rescue units are involved in the search, aboard rescue vessels Port Kembla 31, Shellharbour 30, Shoalhaven 30, Ulladulla 20 and Ulladulla 30.
Comments Off on Couple rescued in dramatic overnight mission off Yamba
Marine Rescue Iuka Yamba volunteers have rescued a woman who fell overboard from a dismasted catamaran in the darkness far offshore North-East of Yamba during a dramatic overnight rescue mission.
The woman, one of two people on the catamaran, was attempting to cut loose rigging trailing in the water when she fell overboard.
The rescue crew, who were already on scene to rescue the disabled boat, swiftly pulled her from the water and took her safely on board rescue vessel Iluka Yamba 30.
The volunteers launched the mission to rescue the 12-15 metre catamaran 12nm north-east of Yamba after the catamaran’s skipper called for help just before 10.30pm, reporting that the boat had lost its mast, which was hanging over the side, and the two crew on board were attempting to cut it loose.
The crew of rescue vessel Iluka Yamba 30 located the catamaran in the pitch dark, arriving on scene by 12.40am, taking the vessel under tow for the long voyage back to shore.
After a long, slow tow back towards land, the crew successfully navigated the tow across the Clarence bar just before dawn at 4.45am and placed the catamaran safely on a river mooring at Whiting Beach at mission’s end by 5.30am.
Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said the successful rescue mission was the result of professional teamwork by volunteers at MR Iluka Yamba and MR Sydney, who took the call for help on the MRNSW coastal marine radio network.
“Just last weekend more than 50 of our volunteers assembled at Yamba for a major Search and Rescue Exercise to fine-tune the skills they need to save lives in operations just like this one,” he said.
“This operation demonstrates the value of our professional training, our world-class vessels and communications network and the skill and courage of our volunteers.
“This emergency, so far offshore and in the pitch black of night, could have had a very different outcome. The two people on board the catamaran are safely back on shore thanks to our volunteers, who heard their call for help and did not hesitate to respond.
“Congratulations to the members of both our Sydney and Iluka Yamba members for a job well done.”
The crew of Iluka Yamba 30, who headed out bravely in the dark were skipper Frank Bond, Bob Adams, Margaret Deguara, Joe Dimauro and Gail Scobie. The overnight Sydney radio operators were Pamela Sayers and Ross Howard.
After working throughout the night, the Iluka Yamba crew were reunited with the couple when they headed out in daylight to check on their welfare and ensure they did not need more help with their damaged vessel.
Comments Off on Exercise care on the water this Easter
Boaters along the NSW coastline are being urged to exercise extreme caution if they are on the water over Easter.
Debris from the floods continues to create hazards for boaters as it washes down waterways and out to sea and navigation aids and channel markers have been displaced or lost.
Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said MRNSW volunteers were on duty over the four-day break, both on the water and in the network of radio bases from the Queensland border to Eden.
“On this Good Friday morning, our crews at Marine Rescue Wooli and Marine Rescue Batemans Bay already have responded to three incidents, including three people thrown into the water when their tinny sank off Arrawarra Headland,” he said.
“We know boaters will be keen to get out in the great conditions for a last time before the cold weather sets in but we need them to keep a careful watch for dangerous debris and to take the time to do their safety checks and ensure they have the required safety equipment on board.
“He urged all boaters to Log On and Log Off with MRNSW via VHF Channel 16 or the free Marine Rescue App.
“Logging On is quick, easy and free. It gives you the peace of mind to enjoy your day while our professionally trained and resourced volunteers keep watch for your safe return. If you’re not back as expected, we will start to search for you.”
Deputy Commissioner Barrell said it was vital for everyone on board to be wearing an appropriate lifejacket at all times on the water.
“If the worst happens and you end up in the water, a lifejacket can keep you afloat until help arrives. It can save your life – but only if you have it on,” he said.
“Make sure your boat is still in good nick if you had it out over summer and check you have a full tank of fuel. Almost two-thirds of the rescues MRNSW crews performed over summer were caused by engine failure, flat batteries and fuel problems, including boaters simply running the tank dry.”
NSW Maritime has placed signs at selected boat ramps to alert boaters of dangerous conditions, debris, displaced navigation aids and channel markers, as well as damaged structures.
Due to the large amount of debris still circulating in the river system, a temporary speed limit of 15 knots applies for all waters west of the Hawkesbury River Rail Bridge at Brooklyn, including parts of the Hawkesbury and Nepean Rivers, and their tributaries.
Comments Off on Flood operations in hazardous conditions
Marine Rescue NSW has praised its volunteers for their commitment to community service, undertaking operations in hazardous conditions to assist members of the public caught in the State’s flood emergency.
MRNSW was participating in this morning’s multi-agency evacuation operation at Colo, alongside the NSW State Emergency Service, NSW Police and Surf Life Saving NSW, when one of its rescue vessels capsized.
The vessel, from Marine Rescue Alpine Lakes, was providing out-of-area operational support for the SES operation when it appears to have been caught on a low-hanging cable over the Colo River.
Two MRNSW volunteers, an SES volunteer and four members of the public were on board at the time. All escaped and were returned to waiting NSW Ambulance paramedics at the operation’s staging point at Sackville.
MRNSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the service was deeply grateful everyone on board had been quickly accounted for and appeared to have suffered only minor abrasions, bruising and shock.
“Our volunteers have been out working alongside their colleagues from the other emergency services to assist members of the community caught in this escalating flood crisis in Western Sydney and on the Mid North Coast,” he said.
“Operations such as this, in difficult and rapidly changing conditions on fast-moving flood waters carry considerable risk. We are grateful to our volunteers for willingly putting up their hands to assist people in real need.”
UPDATE: A second man has died after three men were swept off rocks into the sea while fishing at Hill 60, Port Kembla, last night.
It is the same rock platform where three men died after being washed into the sea while fishing late at night on January 22.
hree men were swept into the sea just before 7pm yesterday.
A Police Highway Patrol officer swam out to two of the men with a flotation device. A Surf Life Saving crew reached the men and the officer about 7.30pm and they were taken to Port Kembla beach.
CPR was initiated on one of the men, however, he died at the scene. He has now been identified as a 30-year-old man from Lakemba.
The police officer and the second man, aged 42 from Wiley Park, were not injured.
The third man was winched from the sea by a Toll Ambulance Rescue Helicopter crew and taken to Wollongong Hospital in a critical condition but also died. He is yet to be formally identified.
None of the men was wearing a lifejacket.
Two other police officers suffered minor injuries during the rescue operation. They were being assessed at Wollongong Hospital early this morning.
Investigators are appealing for anyone with vision of the incident, and subsequent emergency response, to contact Lake Illawarra Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
FEBRUARY 12: One man is dead and another is critical after being swept off rocks at Port Kembla this evening at the same location where three men drowned three weeks ago.
Emergency services were alerted after three men were swept into the sea just before 7pm (Friday 12 February 2021), at Hill 60 near Fishermans Beach.
Officers from the Lake Illawarra Police District along with the Toll Rescue Helicopter crew, Surf Lifesaving IRB crew and Highway Patrol attended the scene and began searching for the men.
A crew from Marine Rescue Port Kembla also was activated.
A Highway Patrol officer entered the sea with a flotation device and swam out to the men, along with a member of the public.
Two men and the officer were retrieved from the water by the IRB crew, who transported them to Port Kembla beach.CPR was initiated on one of the men, however, he died at the scene.
The police officer and the second fisherman were not injured.
The Toll Helicopter crew winched the third man to safety; he has now been transported to Wollongong Hospital, where he is reported to be in a critical condition.
Two other police officers suffered minor injuries during the rescue operation.There is no further information available at this time on the identities of the men and inquiries are now under way.
Comments Off on Crew saves sailor in perilous conditions
UPDATE: A man rescued from his 33 foot yacht, which was taking in water in hazardous conditions off the South Coast this morning, has been reunited with his relieved wife at Ulladulla.
A crew from Marine Rescue Ulladulla has returned the solo sailor safely to shore at Ulladulla, where he was met by his wife and Deputy Unit Commander David Lindley (below).
EARLIER: A crew from Marine Rescue UIladulla has rescued a solo sailor from a 33 foot yacht taking on water and sinking in perilous conditions off the Illawarra coastline.
The sailor is safely on board rescue vessel Ulladulla 30, which is making slow progress in churning seas back to the safety of Ulladulla Harbour.
The man is reported to have sustained some bruising but is in otherwise good condition.
The crew located the yacht off Flat Rock. Conditions were too hazardous for the rescue vessel to come alongside the yacht so after lowering his sails and deploying his anchor, the man made it into his dinghy and was hauled to the rescue vessel and taken on board.
Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said the courage and commitment of the volunteer crew members had saved the man’s life.
“This man is extremely fortunate. He was caught in an emergency that could have had a very different and tragic outcome if it were not for the bravery and skill of our volunteers,” he said.
“The crew has shown great fortitude and knowledge to locate this yacht and safely transfer the man on board in the hazardous conditions off the coastline this morning, with a north-east wind gusting up to 20 knots, a 2.5m swell and heavy rain limiting visibility on the water.
“These are terrible conditions for a search operation but our volunteers have put their own discomfort aside because a life was in danger.”
The crew of Ulladulla 30 was Lesley Kelly, Allan Brook, David Catton and Clive Woodward.
“This operation is another demonstration of the bravery, dedication and experience of our volunteers, who will respond around the clock, in all kinds of conditions, to bring someone in trouble safely home from the sea,” Deputy Commissioner Barrell said.
“It also proves the value of our professional training and resourcing, ensuring our volunteers have the education and vessels they need to operate safely and effectively.”
The boater called Marine Rescue Batemans Bay for help this morning, reporting that he had a foot of water through the boat, when he was 5nm due east of Brush Island, between Kioloa and Bawley Point.
Crews from both MR Ulladulla and Batemans Bay immediately responded but the Batemans Bay crew headed back to shore when a crew member fell on board, sustaining a suspected back injury. She has been transferred to hospital and is in a satisfactory condition.
This was the busiest weekend of the summer for Marine Rescue NSW volunteers, who launched more than a hundred rescue missions as thousands of holiday boaters took advantage of the great conditions to hit the water right along the coastline.
Commissioner Stacey Tannos said MRNSW volunteers had carried out 110 rescue missions over the weekend, including 17 in response to life-endangering emergencies.
“Our volunteers returned 299 people, including 41 children, along with five pets safely to shore,” he said.
“Boaters flocked to the water to take advantage of the ideal conditions and fine, warm weather.
“It was great to see so many people out – particularly following the lifting of COVID restrictions on Sydney’s Northern Beaches – but the extra traffic meant our volunteers were working from early in the morning to beyond sunset to help bring people home safely.”
Commissioner Tannos said many of the rescues could have been avoided if boaters had taken basic safety precautions before heading out on the water.
“Two thirds of this weekend’s rescues were to save boaters stranded by engine failure, flat batteries and fuel problems – including one boater who ran out of fuel 30 nautical miles east of Barrenjoey,” he said.
“Many of these problems can be prevented if you make sure your boat’s in good repair and that you have a full tank of fuel.
“Remember the rule of thirds when planning your trip – a third for the trip out, another for the return, and a third in reserve.
“Most important of all, make sure everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket and Log On with Marine Rescue NSW on VHF Channel 16 or the free Marine Rescue NSW App.
“This free service gives you the peace of mind from knowing our volunteers are watching out for your safe return and if you don’t Log Off as planned, we will start searching for you.”
Thanks to the mild weather and generally good boating conditions, Marine Rescue volunteers were kept busy up and down the NSW coast over the weekend.
A total of 39 rescues were performed, of which nine were in response to life-endangering emergencies, with a total of 79 people rescued.
Four men were returned safely to shore after their boat sank 20 nautical miles off Sydney Heads on Saturday morning (October 17) in an emergency that demonstrated the safety value of VHF marine radio.
The boaters – a father and son and two mates – had been on a fishing trip when one of their 8m boat’s engines stopped.
When they went to investigate, they found the engine bay rapidly filling with water.
The men began bailing but realising they couldn’t keep up with the inflow, made a Mayday call on VHF Channel 16 as the boat overturned.
A number of Good Samaritan boaters in the vicinity raced to rescue the men from the water.
MR Middle Harbour Deputy Unit Commander Ben Crowther, Bill Keleher, Mick Stott, Altan Kececi and Ron Van Leer were on board MH 30, with Dean Mills providing communications support at the unit’s base at The Spit.DUC Crowther said conditions had been unpleasant: a 1.5-2m swell and choppy between the swell.
He said on arrival at the scene, the police had determined the conditions were not suitable to transfer the four men from a recreational boat on which they were sheltering. It then returned them to shore.
The crew of Middle Harbour 30 remained on location to calculate the drift of the sunken boat so MR Terrey Hills could broadcast Securite warnings to alert other boaters in the vicinity to keep watch for the navigational hazard, before returning through the Heads about 3pm.
Discovering the four men had been delivered to the Middle Harbour Yacht Club, near the Middle Harbour base, the crew then located the men and ferried them back to the Roseville boat ramp, returning to base just before 4.30pm.
A couple whose voyage down the NSW North Coast turned into a dramatic struggle for survival have highlighted the need for boaters to be sure they and their vessels are prepared if the worst happens.
At the start of the annual boating season, there’s no better time for boaters to make sure they’re ready for a safer summer on the water.
Guy Peluso and partner Colleen were 6 nautical miles south of Ballina on board their 45 foot cruiser when their trip down the coast turned into a nightmare about 2am on June 12.
They were saved not just by the exceptional efforts of the emergency services who responded to their Mayday call but also by their own good preparation – so that when the unthinkable happened, they were able to swing into action and give themselves the best possible chance of being rescued.
Travelling in the darkness and battered by a 2m swell and strong westerly winds, Mr Peluso steered closer to shore to seek calmer conditions. A sudden noise against the hull and a change in performance signaled something was wrong. By torchlight, he quickly saw the cruiser was taking on water – and fast.
Mr Peluso said the couple had planned for this type of emergency and quickly swung into action.
“We had a several plans for emergency – depending on its urgency and nature. We had recently replaced the reflective tape on our lifebuoys, had plenty of lifejackets on board, an EPIRB, head torches, flare kit and waterproof phone case,” he said.
“Having radioed Marine Rescue Ballina for assistance, we knew rescue services were on the way but when our attempts to get ourselves into our dinghy failed and we lost our torches, flares and iPad navigation aid, it was clear we were going to have to go into the water.”
Donning lifejackets and clutching their EPIRB, waterproof phone, boat fender and reading glasses – to read the EPIRB screen – they jumped into the water, activating their EPIRB and calling Triple Zero as they clung together in the swell.
According to Mr Peluso, the sound of a helicopter still has him staring skywards thinking of that night in water and the bravery of the rescue crews – on water and in the air – who came to their aid.
The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter spotted the couple in the sea and guided the crew of rescue vessel Ballina 30 to them. But once on board the vessel, a hazardous bar crossing still had to be navigated.
Photo: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter
“I vividly remember the helicopter lighting our path through the crashing breakers, with the bar breaking from break wall to break wall,” he said.
“Both Colleen and I are filled with admiration and gratitude for the heroes who rescued us that night.”
Commissioner Stacey Tannos said the emergency might have had a very different outcome if the couple had not been so well prepared.
“By having the necessary safety and survival equipment on board, having a plan and adapting to changes such as the loss of their dinghy, Guy and Colleen were able to give rescuers the greatest chance of finding them alive,” he said.
“With the boating season upon us, ensure you and your vessel are ready. Have a survival plan, check your vessel and safety equipment are in good repair, understand and adapt to weather conditions.
“Log On as with Marine Rescue are you head out on VHF Channel 16 or on the free MarineRescue app so our volunteers can keep watch and make sure everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket.”
A volunteer crew from Marine Rescue Batemans Bay has returned three people on board a vessel that has broken down 12nm offshore to safety in the Moruya River.
The boat was stranded early this morning by a mechanical failure.
All passengers are safe and had displayed a V-sheet to signal they were in distress.
With the runabout’s skipper having some difficulty pinpointing their location, the crew spent some time searching for the boat before they could take it under tow.
A timely reminder for all boaters of the need to be able to provide your location to rescue crews in the event of an emergency.
The free MarineRescue App provides your lat/long at the touch of a button. Download it today!
The crew on board rescue vessel Batemans 30 was David Murn, John Clements, Peter Poole and Ned Foley.
Communications support from Greg Irvine and Andrew Murn in the unit’s radio room at the Hanging Rock base.
Comments Off on Search continues for missing rock fisherman
Crews Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour and Wooli are again on the water for the resumed search for a man swept out to sea while rock fishing on the North Coast yesterday afternoon (August 29).
Emergency services were called to Little Beach at Red Rock, about 45km north of Coffs Harbour, responding to reports a man had been washed into the ocean while rock fishing about 2.30pm yesterday.
Crews from MR Wooli and Coffs Harbour searched last with a Royal Australian Air Force helicopter, with Coffs 30 acting as the On Scene Coordination vessel. NSW Police Local Area Command officers and Red Rock Surf Life Saving also responded.
The search was suspended about 8.30pm without any sign of the missing man, who Police have been told is in his 20s and was not wearing a lifejacket. He is believed to be visiting Australia from Malaysia.
Along with Coffs 30 and Wooli 30, the NSW Police Force Marine Area Command launch Fearless from Coffs Harbour is taking part this morning, along with NSW State Emergency Service volunteers, who are searching Corindi River estuary sandbars.
Comments Off on Off-duty volunteers save fisherman on bar
Two off-duty volunteers from Marine Rescue Camden Haven rescued a fisherman after his boat capsized on the Camden Haven Inlet bar this afternoon.
Marine Rescue Camden Haven Unit Commander Neville Adams and fellow volunteer Ken Clancy were returning from a fishing trip in Mr Clancy’s boat about 12.15pm when they noticed a 3.8 metre tinnie in trouble on the bar.
By the time the pair had turned their boat around to assist, the dinghy had capsized, throwing the sole occupant, a 69-year-old man, into the water.
Coming alongside the overturned boat, the volunteers’ rescue training kicked in and they quickly pulled the fisherman, who was clinging to his upturned hull, on board their boat and rushed him back to the Marine Rescue Camden Haven base.
After his ordeal in the river’s chilly waters, a NSW Ambulance was called to check on the fisherman’s condition.
Marine Rescue NSW Mid North Coast Regional Operations Manager Randall Gawne said the fisherman was lucky two highly trained rescue personnel had happened to be passing and able to reach him so quickly after his dinghy had overturned.
“Today’s rescue is a reminder that our coastal bars can be hazardous and anyone heading out on the water should Log On on VHF Channel 16 or the free MarineRescue App,” Mr Gawne said.
“Logging On and Logging Off helps our volunteers keep a watch over you while you are on the water and if the worst does happen, to reach you quickly,” he added.
The upturned dinghy was retrieved by a passing trawler and dropped at the MR Camden Haven base.
A 40 foot cruiser taking on large amounts of water as it made its way north along the NSW Mid North Coast has made it to safety at Coffs Harbour.
A crew from Marine Rescue Coffs Harbour was quickly deployed when the cruiser’s skipper called for help this afternoon, reporting he was taking on water off Nambucca.
He was holding the water ingress with a shower pump and managing to make slow progress north at 6 knots.
The crew of rescue vessel Coffs 30 rendezvoused with the boat offshore, shadowing the cruiser in the darkness as it limped towards Coffs and preparing to rescue the skipper and transfer him to rescue vessel Coffs 30 if conditions on board his boat deteriorated dangerously.
The boat was sitting heavily in the water and taking waves over the bow. The skipper reported knee-deep water in the bow.
The crew of Coffs 30 was skipper Mitch Harvey – the Unit Commander of Marine Rescue Woolgoolga – along with Paul McLeod, David Oliver and Ken McNeil, with communications support in the MR Coffs Harbour radio base from Jan Steel, Brian Holmes and Graeme King.
Marine Rescue NSW Mid North Coast Regional Operations Manager Randall Gawne said the boat had only just made it into the harbour.
“It was touch and go; they only just managed to get the distressed vessel in,” he said.
Mr Gawne congratulated the MR Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga members for their rapid response to assist a boater caught in a perilous situation offshore.
“This incident could have had a very different outcome,” he said.
“I’m sure this boater is very grateful to our professionally trained and equipped volunteers, both on board Coffs 30 and in the radio base, who made it their mission tonight to ensure he returned safely to shore.”
He said the Coffs Harbour Water Police had arranged a portable pump to drain the cruiser’s bilge.
Comments Off on Crews in joint response to medical emergency
Two crews from Marine Rescue Batemans Bay were activated tonight to respond to a medical emergency on a houseboat on the Clyde River.
The crews of rescue vessels Batemans 30 and Batemans 20 transported NSW Ambulance paramedics and NSW Police Force officers to the houseboat.
A casualty was removed from the boat, along with his partner, and transferred on board Batemans 30 for the return to shore at the Batemans Bay Marina, from where he was transported to hospital.
The Clyde River road bridge was lifted to enable Batemans 30, a Steber 38, to pass upstream to reach the houseboat.
The crew of Batemans 30 was Richard Blundell and Rod Ingamells, with David Murn and John Clement on board Batemans 20.
The kayakers were spotted clinging to their upturned hull by the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter and taken on board the Police vessel to be transported back to shore.
A great result, again demonstrating the seamless operations of our emergency services working together to save lives.
Photo above: Botany 30 searches offshore for the kayers. By Brad Whittaker, on board Port Hacking 30.
Comments Off on Safety advice from rescued fishermen
Valuable safety advice from two fishermen whose lifejackets and EPIRBs – and a rapid response by the emergency services – saved their lives when their boat sank offshore from Nambucca last Wesdnesday morning.
Matt Barber and Joe Mitchell tell PRIME7 News North Coast how their lifejackets kept them afloat and EPIRBs guided rescue crews to them in the ocean.
Comments Off on Crew retrieves catamaran washed out to sea
A crew from Marine Rescue Shellharbour headed offshore in trying conditions early this morning to retrieve a 9 metre catamaran that broke its mooring on the flooded Shoalhaven River and washed out to sea yesterday.
The boat drifted about 17nm north overnight to Bass Point.
MRNSW Illawarra Regional Operations Manager Bruce Mitchell said the yacht had washed out to sea through the usually-closed entrance at Shoalhaven Heads, which had been cut open by floodwaters on the river.
Mr Mitchell said the catamaran had sat about 0.5nm off the entrance throughout yesterday, with an individual going out to anchor the vessel during the day but the anchor had not held overnight.
The crew of rescue vessel Shellharbour 30, Gerry Kelly, Geoff Troth and Joe Vasconcelos, took the boat under tow, making slow progress at 4 knots in the conditions, to return the boat to Port Kembla harbour.
A crew from Marine Rescue Port Kembla headed out to support the operation and assist in manoeuvring the large boat on to a mooring in the event it had lost its rudders.
The skipper of the rescue vessel that saved two men whose boat sank 8nm offshore from Nambucca on Wednesday morning (August 5) has described the pair as “dead lucky”.
“They were a long way out and the wind had just started to get up so there were a few white caps around. Another hour or so and it might have been pretty rough out there,” Marine Rescue Trial Bay member Peter Holyfield said.
“They were dead lucky. They had lifejackets on and two EPIRBs tied to their wrists and we got out there pretty quickly.”
Mr Holyfield said the men, one in his 40s and one in his 70s, had told the rescue crew that their boat had split, suddenly turning over and sinking in about 30 seconds.
“They rang a mate who was a pro fisherman and gave him the coordinates and he phoned them through to the base. We got to the original coordinates within about half an hour but they’d changed.
“We searched around the area and one of the guys on board spotted something yellow. I thought it might be a wave buoy but then we realised it was the two guys hanging on to each other in their lifejackets.
“Mr Holyfield said one of the men had gone into shock, with the crew administering oxygen on the return journey to South West Rocks, where a NSW Ambulance was waiting to transport the pair to Kempsey Hospital to be checked.
While a small amount of the men’s gear was recovered, one of their EPIRBs sank, along with their boat and phones.
Conditions continue to be hazardous for boating, rockfishing, swimming and surfing along the NSW coastline. Weather warnings are current.
Surf and swell conditions are expected to be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, and swimming in the following areas.
Wednesday, July 15
Hazardous Surf Warning for NSW
Hazardous Surf Warning for the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts.
Thursday, July 16
Hazardous Surf Warning for: the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts.
Wind Warningsfor NSW
Wednesday, July 15
Gale Warning for the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra coasts.
Strong Wind Warning for Sydney Closed Waters and the Batemans and Eden coasts.
Wind Warnings for Thursday, July 16
Gale Warning for the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie and Hunter coasts.
Strong Wind Warning for Sydney Closed Waters and the Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts.
Safety Advice
The NSW Police Force, Marine Area Command advises that:
People should consider staying out of the water and avoid walking near surf-exposed areas.
Rock fishers should avoid coastal rock platforms exposed to the ocean and seek a safe location that is sheltered from the surf.
Boaters planning to cross shallow water and ocean bars should consider changing or delaying their voyage.
Boaters already on the water should carry the appropriate safety equipment and wear a lifejacket.
Boaters should remember to log on with their local Marine Rescue radio base via VHF Channel 16 or the free MarineRescue App and consider their safety management plan.
Photo: Looking south from Cape Solander. Brad Whittaker.
Boating traffic out along the Illawarra and Far South Coasts was reported to be at levels more commonly seen at the peak of the Christmas holidays over the past weekend.
As the dusk settled at 5pm on Saturday (July 11), 107 boats were still Logged On with Marine Rescue NSW units, the majority south of Sydney. Almost 400 boats were Logged On by 9am on Sunday.
With tuna and other big fish running along the south coast, boaters are clearly making the most of today’s good conditions before the weather deteriorates over the coming week.
It seems many boaters also have grabbed the chance to head for the water for these school holidays, unlike the previous break, when COVID-19 restrictions led people to stay home.
A crew from Marine Rescue Shoalhaven arrived back at base at 12.45am on Monday (July 13) after a four-hour operation to return four people on board a 32 foot cruiser that was stranded 6nm off Shoalhaven Heads to safety. The cruiser (above) was experiencing fuel problems.
Rescue vessel Shoalhaven 30 towed the boat to Greenwell Point.
Earlier on Sunday, two disabled vessels about 20nm offshore from Jervis Bay were rescued and returned safely to shore. A crew from MR Jervis Bay returned three people on board a 6-7m runabout stranded with mechanical problems about 20nm south-east of the bay to Murrays Beach inside the bay.
A crew from MR Shoalhaven retrieved a runabout with another three people on board out of fuel 21nm offshore and returned it to Currarong.
On Saturday, six boaters were rescued in three separate missions.
A crew from MR Port Kembla returned a 5.2m fibreglass runabout to Bellambi Harbour after it broke down offshore.
Meanwhile, a team from MR Cottage Point rescued a boat with three people on board (below) that was adrift 15nm east of Barrenjoey Head. The boat was returned to Homeport Marina at Church Point in a five-hour operation.
A 7m cruiser that broke down with two people on board 20nm east of Jervis Bay was rescued in a joint mission between MR Jervis Bay and MR Ulladulla.
A crew from MR Hawkesbury assisted six kayakers suffering from fatigue on a paddle down the Hawkesbury River on Saturday afternoon.
The group had set off from Berowra at 8.30am. Rescue vessel Hawkesbury 21 located them on an isolated stretch of the river at Spenser.
They were conveyed to the Gentlemans Halt camping ground in the Marramarra National Park, where they had friends who had already set up camp.
A crew from Marine Rescue Shoalhaven embarked on a lengthy mission to rescue five people stranded on a disabled runabout 21nm offshore from Shoalhaven Heads on the Illawarra coastline late yesterday afternoon.
The skipper of the 7m cuddy cabin called for help when the boat began experiencing mechanical problems.
Rescue vessel Shoalhaven 30 headed out with Mike Boadle, Marty Kaye and Paul Poulsen on board. The rescue team took the runabout under tow, returning it safely to shore at Crookhaven Heads before logging off after 10pm.
Meanwhile, a crew from MR Middle Harbour was activated to rescue two people on board a broken down boat at Cannae Point, near the Quarantine Station, on Sydney Harbour. Middle Harbour 30, with Deputy Unit Commander Ben Crowther as Master, took the boat under tow to the Tunks Park boat ramp at Cammeray.
Earlier yesterday, a crew from Marine Rescue Jervis Bay rescued two people whose boat was grounded on Boat Harbour Beach, just inside the entrance to the bay.
The pair called the MR Jervis Bay radio base for help to refloat their 4.8m cabin runabout after it was left high and dry on the beach when the tide went out. Rescue vessel Jervis Bay 20 responded.
Also on the South Coast, a crew from MR Batemans Bay rescued four people on board a 6m cabin runabout stranded by a mechanical failure off Jimmies Island, south of Batemans Bay.
The distressed vessel was anchored just offshore and safe. Rescue vessel Batemans 30 responded with crew members Rod Ingamells, David Murn and Sandra Simmonds on board. Radio operators Glenn Felkin and Mike Dolan provided communications support from the unit’s Hanging Rock radio base.
On the North Coast, the crew of Point Danger 20 headed upstream to Condong in response to a jet ski sinking on the Tweed River. When PD 20 arrived on scene, the two people on board had managed to get the jet ski to shore but it was unable to be taken under tow due to damage to the craft. The people were returned to their vehicle and will attempt to retrieve the jet ski by land.
Police have reported that three men have died after a boat capsized off La Perouse.
Just after 12.30pm today (Sunday, July 5, 2020), emergency services were called to Henry Head Lane at La Perouse following reports a boat had capsized near the lighthouse.
Three men were retrieved from the water; however, they died at the scene. They have not been formally identified.
Officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command are at the scene, and an investigation into the incident is under way.
In a six hour operation, a crew from Marine Rescue Botany Port Hacking (see video) last night rescued two people on board a 9m cruiser stranded off the coastline south at Stanwell Park.
The crew of rescue vessel Port Hacking 30, Jim Glissan, Greg Inglis and Tomek Zamencki, deployed into bumpy 1m seas about 3.30pm yesterday and took the vessel under tow back up the coastline.
The vessel was returned safely to the Cronulla marina before the crew logged off at 9.30pm.
Two crews from Marine Rescue Ulladulla are back on shore after a search operation on rolling seas to locate a boat that overturned in the early morning darkness near Sullivans Reef off the entrance to Ulladulla Harbour.
Rescue vessels Ulladulla 30 and UL 20 headed out on a two metre swell with a one metre sea and a southerly blowing at 15 knots.
The man and woman on board the 5.5m runabout managed to swim to shore and walk to a nearby caravan park to summon help after their boat capsized in the rough conditions about 6am.
The owner called the MR Ulladulla radio base at 7.10am, reporting the boat had overturned and his wife had been cut on rocks while swimming back to shore. A NSW Ambulance subsequently transported the couple to Milton Hospital.
Unit Commander David Hall said the crews had set up a search pattern for the two rescue vessels and used sea dye to ascertain a drift pattern for the capsized vessel.
“We believe we located the vessel in 25 metres of water, suspended at 10 metres depth,” he said. “I think it is the first time I have seen the actual rock of Sullivans Reef from the surface. We backed in pretty close to retrieve the first object, a container with first aid and other gear.
“The reef is a popular diving and fishing reef but it can be very treacherous. It was rolling this morning and I can imagine that the occupants of the capsized vessel would have been terrified, especially as it was pitch black this morning.”
The crew retrieved a range of fishing and other gear from the water. The Ulladulla radio base is broadcasting navigation warnings to alert boaters to exercise caution in the vicinity, with the submerged boat posing a potential hazard to other craft.
Photos: Dave Hall on board rescue vessel Ulladulla 20.
A man and woman have been rescued in an emergency operation after their 45m cruiser sank offshore 6nm south of Ballina on the NSW North Coast early this morning.
The emergency began when the cruiser began taking on water and sinking bow first. The couple on board acted quickly and gathered two life rings, a fender, EPIRB and mobile phone, putting on their lifejackets.
They made a Mayday call, which was picked up by an overnight radio operator at Marine Rescue Sydney, followed by an EPIRB activation. Crews from Marine Rescue Ballina and the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter were rapidly activated.
The Westpac helicopter located the people in the water, dropping a strobe to guide rescue vessel Ballina 30 to the scene. The vessel crew rescued the man and woman from the water and transported them to a waiting NSW Ambulance at the Fawcett Street wharf, providing immediate first aid for hypothermia en route.
The rescue helicopter stayed on scene, illuminating the hazardous bar, until the rescue boat was safely across in the pitch dark.
Marine Rescue NSW Northern Rivers Regional Operations Manager John Murray said the emergency services had mounted a rapid and professional response.
“This operation in the dead of night is proof of the value of the services’ regular joint training exercises, which ensure everyone works seamlessly to save lives on the water,” Mr Murray said.
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Crews from MR Port Kembla launched searches under darkness in response to two separate emergencies when members of the public reported hearing calls for help from the water.
A major air and sea search was mounted by NSW Police, MR Port Kembla, the Toll Ambulance Helicopter and Surf Life Saving on June 6 when screams were heard near Bulli Point.
A runabout with four people on board had capsized about 6.20pm. The helicopter pulled two men, aged 31 and 23, from the water about 8pm, transporting them to Wollongong Hospital, while the search continued for a missing boy, aged five, and a man, 28.
The crew of Port Kembla 30 towed the runabout back to harbour about 10pm, where Police Divers found the small boy’s body.
Three crews from MR Port Kembla and Shellharbour joined the ongoing operation the next morning, searching up to 6nm offshore from Bellambi to Austinmer. The crew of Shellharbour 30 recovered the man’s body about 1.10pm.
Director of Operations Andrew Cribb and Illawarra Regional Operations Manager Bruce Mitchell held a critical incident debrief with both crews the following day.
“This was a terrible tragedy and we are holding the families of this very small boy and the man who also died in our thoughts today,” Mr Cribb said. “Operations in traumatic circumstances such as this also take a heavy toll on the members of the emergency services who respond and we thank not only our own members but all those who worked professionally and compassionately to rescue the two men on Saturday night and return the two victims to their families.”
The alarm was raised in similar circumstances about 6.30pm on April 16, when people heard a man yelling from Rocky Island at Port Kembla. This was followed by reports of a second man and a capsized boat in the water.
PK 30 was quickly on the scene, along with police, the Toll helicopter and the State Emergency Service. The man was located on the island about 7.30pm and airlifted to safety.
The search for the missing man was suspended at 10.30pm before resuming the next day, when police located the 68-year-old’s body. The uncle and nephew had been fishing but their boat capsized as they returned to the boat ramp.
Family member Matt Campbell thanked the Port Kembla rescue crew online: “Thanks for your efforts today and always, (love) the Campbell family.”
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The perilous Swansea bar claimed another victim in the early morning darkness on May 19, when a disabled trawler ran aground and sank as it tried to make its way off the coastline to safety.
The skipper, travelling north to Newcastle, reported just after midnight that the 16m timber boat was having electrical issues and taking on water near Moon Island, off Swansea Heads and that he would divert into the channel.
Radio Operator Paul Webb, on duty in the MR Lake Macquarie radio base overlooking the coast and channel, helped guide the skipper over the bar, which he had never crossed before.
As Paul watched, he saw the trawler stop dead in the water. The skipper confirmed the boat had run aground and the motors had cut out.
The unit’s night crew was activated on board Lake Macquarie 30, arriving on scene just before 2am to find the boat had sunk, with water over its gunwales. The crew took the skipper on board and returned to their Pelican boat base, where they gave him dry clothes and a bunk for the rest of the night.
Later in the morning, the crew of LM 20 took the skipper back out to assess the damage to his boat and help retrieve gear and debris.
Crew member Jim Wright said he had done many rescues over the years but never to save a two-seater lounge.
He said the crew had been alerted to an unidentified object, possibly a fuel tank, from the boat so headed to the coordinates given, 5nm offshore from the base.
“When we got there we found the two-seater lounge floating. The owner of the boat was with us and confirmed it was off his boat. We pulled it on board which was a bugger of a job as the cushions were water logged, and brought it back to our base.”
A tricky job for the Marine Rescue Wooli crew, given the need to stay home, or if called out, to keep the 1.5m distance from one another and from the people needing assistance.
Around 8am on Tuesday, April 28, a sailing vessel en route to Queensland, called for assistance after entering the Wooli Wooli River. The trimaran had run aground on a sandbank with its hull breached and was taking on water, exacerbated by a rising tide. The vessel’s batteries were flat due to pumps having been run all night.
The Marine Rescue Wooli rescue vessel, Wooli 30, was activated and attempted to pump the trimaran out sufficiently to locate the breach. Unsuccessful, Wooli 30 was to return on low tide to try again. However, the vessel again called for immediate assistance as the tide was falling fast and Wooli 30 returned with a more powerful Rural Fire Service pump. The pump out was partially successful and ceased when the breach point was located, leaving the skipper hopeful of repairing the split in the plywood at the keel before the change of tide.
The unit arranged and delivered food supplies from the local shop and took batteries to recharge. With the repairs unsuccessful and further attempts to refloat the vessel futile, it was up to the skipper to arrange salvage while MR Wooli ensured he was safe.
After almost a week grounded on a sandbank in the Wooli Wooli River, with a breached main hull, the morning high tide on May 5 gave sufficient water for the trimaran to float on its outer hulls. This provided the opportunity to move the vessel to a more suitable location for access and repairs.
For the first attempt, a local provided a dinghy with a 20hp outboard and towed the sailboat clear of the sandbank. However, once in the channel, the ebb tide took over, the dinghy lost control and both boats were being swept downstream towards the training walls. When the cry was heard, “I haven’t got an anchor”, the situation was assessed as serious, rescue not salvage and the rescue vessel was activated.
In the meantime, another local launched his jet boat and was able to hold the trimaran against the ebb tide until the rescue vessel arrived to take over the tow. A side tow was set up and the vessel towed upstream and then beached 150m north of the Wooli boat ramp. The owner now has the demanding task ahead to repair the vessel and ensure it is seaworthy to continue his voyage north.
A search for an overdue boater on Jervis Bay today has highlighted the value of Logging On with Marine Rescue NSW and the need to make sure all your communications equipment on board is in good working order.
The skipper had Logged On via the MarineRescue App when she headed out this morning but when the 6m runabout had not returned as scheduled, the unit launched its search procedures.
The skipper did not respond to several calls on VHF Channel 16, leading the unit to check the boat ramp from where the vessel departed. The boater’s car and trailer were still in the car park.
The crew of rescue vessel Jervis Bay 40 was deployed, heading to the boat’s last known position. Finding no sign of the boat, the crew proceeded to search between Steamers Beach and Point Perpendicular.
The unit’s radio base broadcast an alert asking all boaters in the vicinity to keep a lookout.
As a second rescue vessel, Jervis Bay 20, was preparing to join the search, the unit again checked the boat ramp and found the boater had returned.
She reported her phone had run out of battery power and the marine radio on board was not working.
Illawarra Regional Operations Manager Bruce Mitchell said MRNSW was appealing to boaters to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect their own and its volunteers’ health.
“Everyone is safer when everyone stays home right now but if it is essential for boaters to head out on the water, we urge them to Log On and Log Off with MRNSW,” he said.
“This boater did the right thing by Logging On so that trained search and rescue experts could keep track of her on her fishing trip.
“Logging On gives us a starting point for a search and that saves valuable time when every minute counts in an emergency on the water.
“Our Jervis Bay members were diligent in their efforts to find this boater when she was overdue. Although this search could have had a very different outcome, thankfully she was safe and well – and very, very apologetic.
“It does, however, again demonstrate the need for anyone heading out on the water to be sure that their radio is in good working order and their phone is fully charged so they can call for help in an emergency.”
Mr Mitchell thanked the crew of Jervis Bay 40, Greg Atkinson, Tony Dagger and Brian McParlane and radio base operators, Steve Hutchison, Kristy Jones and Kevin McMahon, for their prompt and professional response.
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Father’s Day fishing trip ends in pair’s second offshore emergency in a year.
Six boaters from Evans Head have been commended in Federal Parliament and praised as heroes for saving the lives of an elderly man and his son whose small fishing boat overturned on Father’s Day.
Evans Head 30 pulls the submerged centre-console runabout to the surface after it overturned about 3nm south of Evans Head.
The men’s 5.25m runabout tipped in challenging conditions about 3nm south of Evans Head, sparking a major response operation involving the nearby boaters and numerous emergency services.
This was the second emergency at sea in a year for the 83-year-old father and his son, 60.
In August 2018, the pair and a companion activated their EPIRB after their 6m runabout overturned offshore. The Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter, Evans Head 30 and Ballina 30 responded to rescue the men from the water in the dark.
MR Evans Head Watch Officer Kira Hartland, who took the radio call from the first boaters on scene to report the Father’s Day emergency, has nominated the six men for bravery awards.
Boaters Lachlan Metcalf, Utah Chilcott and George Daley were on the water when they came alongside the overturned boat and radioed the Evans Head base to say they were pulling a man from the water.
Utah leapt into the water to push the barely conscious man up while Lachlan and George, who had a broken arm, pulled him aboard and administered first aid.
Crew members Ian Murray and Scott Mohr on board Evans Head 30 returning the runabout to shore after it capsized, throwing two men overboard. Photo: Brad Burgess.
“These men are absolute heroes. I have no doubt in my mind that both men from the overturned boat would have died if the skippers and their crews hadn’t responded in the way they did,”
Sean Sauer and his sons Hayden and Luke heard the radio call and raced to the scene, finding the man’s son wrapped more than 20 times in anchor rope that was still tied to the overturned boat and being repeatedly dragged under the water as braided fishing line cut deeply into his ankles
Completely incapacitated, he was unable to help himself. Utah again dived in the water, swimming among debris to keep the man afloat and cut debris off his legs while the Sauers lay on their boat’s duckboard to cut him free and hold him in a headlock out of the water.
“I can only imagine the courage it would have taken to attend, to dive into the water or hold the man while he was being dragged under,” Ms Hartland said.
“These acts of incredible bravery in this situation of a boat sinking and a man tied to that boat with lines all around the area is truly heroic.”
Page MP Kevin Hogan acknowledged the life-saving efforts of Lachlan Metcalf, Utah Chilcott, George Daley and Sean, Hayden and Luke Sauer in Federal Parliament.
“They saved the life of two people in a boating accident on Father’s Day. Thank you for your efforts. You are local heroes,”
While the father and son were quickly returned across the bar to the Fisherman’s Co-op medical pontoon, another boater, Shannon Doyle and his crew Caine Hutchinson and Zac Thile, retrieved debris and stood by the almost completely submerged boat to lend assistance when the unit’s rescue vessel arrived.
MR Evans Head Deputy Unit Commander Bill Bates met the returning boats at the pontoon with oxygen and a defibrillator, finding the elderly man in a serious condition and the Co-op manager relaying first aid instructions from a Triple Zero operator.
DUC Bates was able to administer oxygen until the arrival of a local lifeguard, followed by an off-duty paramedic and Rural Fire Service volunteer, who arrived in a fire truck with the rest of the brigade to assist.
The older man was transferred by ambulance to a waiting Westpac Rescue Helicopter as police arrived to interview his son. With every local emergency service gathered on the riverside, EH 30 put to sea, where Mr Doyle was able to point to the bow of the centre console runabout sinking vertically with only about the last 50cm of its bow protruding from the water in choppy conditions.
On the first approach, crew member Brad Burgess snagged the tow point with a tow line just as it disappeared below the surface and the vessel sank. The crew paid out the line and slowly pulled the boat back to the surface where it drained water through the scuppers. Every time the rescue vessel slowed, the runabout sank. The crew returned it to the ramp, where NSW Maritime helped return the boat to its trailer.
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Emergency highlights hazards of inflatables on Tuggerah Lakes
Marine Rescue Tuggerah Lakes has prevented a potential tragedy in a rescue operation that has highlighted an emerging safety problem with inflatable watercraft on the lakes.
The look on the relieved mother’s face when she saw the crew of TL 21 made all our preparations, training and planning worthwhile.
Last summer, six rattled young boys who had blown into the middle of Tuggerah Lake on a motley collection of unseaworthy boats and inflatables were rescued by the crew of Tuggerah Lakes 21.
A more recent incident could have had a tragic ending, with TL 21 despatched to locate a mother and her two-year-old child who had been missing for a few hours in an inflatable dinghy.
The pair had started their paddle in calm waters but soon were blown more than 2km across the lakes in a strong wind.
The unit’s radio base was alerted to the woman’s plight by her husband. With Bob Blue on radio duty, the rescue crew – skipper Bob Sutton, Danny Knight and trainee Anthony Hollingworth, on only his second day – rapidly put together a search plan starting at the location of the dinghy’s last sighting.
Fifteen minutes into the search, TL 21 located the dinghy, finding the exhausted mother lying over her toddler, who was only wearing a disposable nappy and hat, to protect her from the sun.
After her desperate paddling against the wind, the mum could hardly raise her arms.
Once the pair were safely on board TL 21, it emerged that at one stage, she had entered the water and tried to swim the craft rather than continue trying to paddle.
If she had lost hold of the craft, she would have been separated from her daughter.
With neither wearing a lifejacket and only limited sun protection, Marine Rescue’s intervention averted a potential tragedy.
The look on the relieved mother’s face when she saw the crew of TL 21 made all our preparations, training and planning worthwhile.
The pair was safely returned to land. Well done to all the members who reunited this young family.
