Two brothers have been seriously injured by a Marlin in a bizarre boating incident off Wooli, north of Coffs Harbour.
The men, aged 46 and 48, were travelling with a third man, aged 46, in a five metre rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) in the Solitary Islands Marine Park around midday today (Wednesday 23 May 2019) when a large Marlin breached the water.
The fish, which they estimated weighed between 80 and 100 kilograms, crashed into the brothers on board the vessel, which had been travelling at 21 knots or 40km/h.
The Marlin's sharp snout sliced open the younger brother's lower right arm, causing an open fracture.
The older brother suffered a deep cut to his right shoulder.
The third man was not harmed and the fish scrambled off the boat and back into the water.
Police from the Coffs/Clarence Police District and the Marine Area Command were notified as the younger brother was airlifted by Westpac Rescue Helicopter to Coffs Harbour Base Hospital.
The other injured man was taken by road to the same hospital.
Their injuries are not considered life threatening.
