Port Stephens boating hell

Volunteers from Marine Rescue Port Stephens risked their lives in a desperate rescue operation during which their rescue vessel was knocked flat by a series of eight-metre waves last night (January 6).

The seven-member crew of Port Stephens 40 (Danial Thain) battled five to eight-metre seas and 40-50 knot winds to reach a 15.8 metre sailboat (the TP52 M3 Mulberry Racing) being blown north-west up the coastline at a rapid pace after losing its steerage and sails.

Marine Rescue NSW volunteers from Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie and Lemon Tree Passage were on the water from early yesterday morning assisting boaters in trouble in the wild winds, heavy rainfall and turbulent seas along the Hunter and Mid North Coasts.

A search continued overnight for a sailor washed overboard (see Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club press release at the foot of this story) from a yacht 10km north of Broughton Island in one of three Mayday operations in the region yesterday (January 6).

Marine Rescue Port Stephens Unit Commander Tony O’Donnell said the unit had been tasked by the NSW Police Marine Area Command to assist the disabled yacht about 7.30pm, with the PS 40 crew immediately departing the unit’s base in the Arun-class rescue vessel.

Mr O’Donnell said after a long chase north, the rescue crew had caught up to the racing yacht, which had been blown up the coast at a rapid 7-8 knots, as it reached a beach just south of Seal Rocks.

"Our crew was about to pass a tow line to the yacht when it hit the breakers and ended up on the beach. Its crew abandoned ship and made it to shore," he said.

"Just as that happened, an eight-metre wave hit the Danial Thain and rolled it on its side. It was hit another two times and knocked flat so that the crew on the bridge were under water.

"Everyone had lifelines on, securing them to the vessel. We could have lost people, it was that serious. Two members sustained injuries: one dislocated a shoulder and the youngest member of the crew has a laceration above his eye."

The yacht’s five crew members were retrieved from the beach by police, with PS 40 making its way back down the coastline to its base, arriving about 6.30am.

Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Dean Storey praised the enormous skill and courage of PS 40 skipper Ron Lighton, engineer Mike Smith, navigator Richard Pizzuto and crew members Laurie Nolan, Tom Miller, Paul Sullivan and Ian Drummond.

"The conditions yesterday were atrocious in the region. These crew members have put the safety of others ahead of their own to fulfil our mission of saving lives on the water," he said.

"The vessel crew was ably supported by the unit’s radio operators on duty, Mike Grover, Colin Cahill, John Vassallo and Peter Baldwin.

"All these volunteers, along with the members of our other units who were out in yesterday’s terrible weather, deserve our sincere thanks and praise for their efforts."

Deputy Commissioner Storey said four of the crew members also had been part of the PS 40 crew awarded the 2015 Australian Search and Rescue Award for their bravery and seamanship during a rescue operation to save two people from a yacht in cyclonic conditions during the East Coast Low storms last April.

Marine police and Marine Rescue NSW received a total of five mayday calls over the course of yesterday (January 6) in addition to the call to help search for the missing sailor, police also received calls for assistance from four other vessels.

All of the calls for assistance came from waters off Port Stephens.

RPAYC ON MISSING SAILOR
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) today (Thursday January 7) issued a press release about the missing sailor.
The RPAYC sadly confirms that Marine Area Command has advised that the crewman missing off Port Stephens on a return journey from Coffs Harbour [race] is Mal Lennon from the vessel Amante.

Our thoughts are with Mr Lennon’s family and friends at this time and with the crew who were involved in the incident.

A number of vessels experienced trouble in the vicinity, including the TP52 M3 Mulberry Racing which was also on its return from Coffs Harbour following the Club’s annual Club Marine Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race which set off from the RPAYC on January 2 and concluded with the last boat finishing on January 4.

M3 Mulberry Racing is on the Beach after drifting for 15nm. All crew are safe and awaiting a pickup off the Beach. "We have lost a boat. Boats are replaceable, but our thoughts and prayers are with the lost sailor still missing off Port Stephens," said its owner Peter Hickson on the yacht's Facebook page.

The RPAYC would like to acknowledge and thank the efforts of all involved in the search and rescue, including the vessels that stood by to assist in the search, notably Amante and Jem.

The unwavering support of the Marine Area Command and in particular, Marine Rescue Port Stephens, who worked through the day and night providing assistance to a number of vessels was exemplary and the entire sailing and boating community are grateful for their tireless work.

Meanwhile you can see a bit of the wild weather footage from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter of a yacht involved in the rescue that itself was rescued by Water Police here.