NSW Water Police have rescued a stranded yacht under severe conditions off the NSW north coast, following an 15-hour operation to retrieve the vessel.
About 12pm yesterday (Sunday 9 October 2022), emergency services were called to reports a Queensland yacht was in trouble about 50 nautical miles off the NSW north coast near Kinsgcliff.
Officers attached to Tweed Heads Water Police located the vessel with a shredded mainsail and no engine power, with two men – aged 56 and 61 – on board.
About 3.30pm, police commenced towing the vessel under extreme weather conditions, which resulted in the tow line breaking multiple times.
Due to safety concerns, police were unable to pass through the Tweed Bar and instead towed the vessel toward Southport, Queensland, where they arrived about 6.30am this morning (Monday 10 October 2022).
One of the police officers involved in the operation - a male senior constable - was taken to Tweed Heads Hospital in a stable condition, suffering dehydration, exhaustion, and a back injury sustained during the rescue.
The two yachtsmen were uninjured.
