Jun 15, 2022

A Royal Australian Navy patrol boat and the NT Police joined together to rescue three fishos from their overturned boat near Charles Point after those on board set off an emergency beacon.

Acting Senior Sergeant Anthony Clarke said the men, aged 21, 62 and 62, had been fishing when their boat took on water and overturned. The trio was located by the Navy patrol boat and taken to a Water Police vessel and then taken back to Darwin after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre received an EPIRB activation coming from the vessel.

He said none of the fishos were injured after spending almost an hour clinging to their capsized boat off Charles Point, northwest of Mandorah.

“The successful response to this incident can be attributed to excellent communication between all responding agencies and also to the owner of the boat who had everything required at hand, including his mobile phone and EPIRB safely stowed in easy-to-reach waterproof grab bags,” Snr Sgt Clark said.

The capsized boat was towed into a sheltered bay and tied off by police to prevent it from being a navigation hazard to passing vessels.