3 dead as yacht sinks off Australian coast

International

By MyTVCebu Desk

THREE people, including two volunteer rescuers, died after a yacht sank and a rescue vessel capsized in rough waters off the coast of New South Wales on Monday evening, authorities confirmed.

Emergency crews responded at around 6:15 p.m. local time after reports of a yacht in distress near the break wall in South Ballina, a coastal area near the border of New South Wales and Queensland.

In a report by BBC, a six-member crew from Marine Rescue NSW rushed to assist, but their rescue boat overturned while crossing the Ballina Bar amid what police described as dangerous sea conditions.

Two rescuers, aged 78 and 62, died in the incident. Four other crew members managed to reach shore with minor injuries and were later treated at a hospital. Authorities said the injured rescuers were aged 55, 75, and two aged 61.

Police also recovered the body of a third victim, a man believed to be in his mid-50s, on nearby sand. He has yet to be formally identified and was reportedly not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

“It has been a terrible night for Marine Rescue NSW and our focus right now is supporting the families of those affected and our volunteers,” a spokesperson for the volunteer rescue organization said on Tuesday.

Todd Andrews said the tragedy highlights the dangers faced by volunteer rescuers. “These two men were serving their local community and have made the ultimate sacrifice to help others,” Andrews said.

Authorities said the yacht struck the break wall, broke apart, and eventually sank. Investigators are now looking into how the vessel came dangerously close to the structure, with divers expected to return to the scene on Thursday to recover evidence.

A rescue helicopter later retrieved the body of the 78-year-old rescuer, while the second rescuer was found along the shoreline.(Samantha Faye Alcoma, CTU-TC BAEL-ELSD Intern)