Incredible rescue of three sailors at sea
11 May 2025
Three sailors have been saved from a sinking yacht hundreds of kilometres off the Queensland coast.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) from QLD and Victoria, NSW Police, the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and a cargo vessel all responded to help the three crew members, who issued a distress signal about 7am on Sunday.
Their 17m yacht was at risk of sinking in the Coral Sea about 350km east of Brisbane after it took on water and experienced electrical problems.
The crew used a satellite emergency notification device to alert AMSA.
An AMSA spokesman said the agency deployed the Essendon and Cairns-based Challenger rescue aircraft, which arrived at the yacht’s location at 10am and 11.30am.
The aircraft dropped two life rafts, communication equipment and a dewatering pump to the yacht.
Cargo vessel Darya Nitya was nearby and responded to AMSA’s request for assistance, arriving about 5pm.
NSW Police boat Nemesis arrived at 6.45pm and rescued all three crew members.
An ADF aircraft provided communication support while the rescue was underway.
“This incident is a strong reminder of the importance of carrying a suitable distress beacon while offshore — it may save your life,” an AMSA spokesman said.
