A GRUELLING experience off Lord Howe Island during last weekend’s extremely challenging conditions ended in the rescue of two exhausted sailors.
The island’s Marine Rescue volunteers first became concerned about the man and woman when contact was lost with their 10 metre yacht 36-hours earlier.
Inspector Rodney Page of NSW Marine Rescue said Lord Howe Island’s Unit Commander, Jim McFadyen, had been monitoring the logged-on vessel ahead of its expected arrival from Sydney around 11:30am on Saturday 2 August.
He stopped receiving updates via the Automatic Identification System (AIS tracking) around 9am.
“The last position he received from the vessel was approximately 60 nautical miles (111km) off Lord Howe Island, with the sailors experiencing seas up to six metres and strong 30-knot winds (55km/h),” Insp. Page said.
“Attempts to reach the crew on board the yacht using radio and satellite phone were unsuccessful.
“Marine Rescue NSW notified NSW Police Marine Area Command of their concerns, who then alerted the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra.
“The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) made satellite phone contact with the vessel late Saturday, with the crew on board experiencing deteriorating conditions of seas up to eight metres and powerful winds gusting to 40 knots (74km/h).”
The vessel activated its emergency EPIRB around 10:20pm on Saturday night.
By the following morning, it was around 25 nautical miles off Lord Howe Island.
Just after 10am, Marine Rescue Lord Howe Island was tasked with rescuing the two sailors and their vessel.
“Our crew was deployed immediately and met the yacht 22 nautical miles (40km) southwest of Lord Howe Island.
“Conditions were rough, with the Marine Rescue crew confronted with three to five-metre seas and 30-knot winds.
“The condition of the male and female on board the yacht was checked before a towline was secured to the vessel and it was taken back to Lord Howe Island.
“Lord Howe 40 safely returned the two extremely exhausted sailors to shore at 9pm [Sunday].”
Insp. Page said they were uninjured and extremely grateful for the support provided by Marine Rescue NSW and AMSA.
“The conditions experienced by these sailors were extremely challenging and dangerous. It would have been terribly uncomfortable for them out there.
“Once again, [logging-on] has proven a valuable lifesaving tool.”
Skippers are reminded that this can be done via the free Marine Rescue NSW app or VHF Channel 16.
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