Solo yachtsman rescued at Swains Reef
Charter vessel plucks sailor from stricken yachtThe Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) coordinated the successful rescue of a solo yachtsman early on Wednesday morning (April 10), 100 nautical miles east of Gladstone, Queensland.
AMSA’s Rescue Coordination Centre Australia (RCC Australia) received an alert from a 406MHz distress beacon which was detected by satellite about 3.00am on Wednesday.
A shipping broadcast was issued and a Gladstone-based charter fishing vessel, Kanimbla, responded to the request for assistance.
The 25-metre Kanimbla located a yacht with one person on board at Swains Reef and took the sailor on board.
A spokesman for Kanimbla Charters in Gladstone said the man was in good condition: "It’s not a good place to be sailing around at night," he said. "The weather wasn’t good at the time, and there are a lot of reefs out there.
"The gentleman was in a 32ft yacht which hit a reef and began taking on water," said the spokesman. "Our vessel received a mayday call and went to his assistance."
The Kanimbla does seven-day fishing charters out of Gladstone and is not due back in Gladstone until Friday (April 12). Presumably, the sailor will be enjoying the hospitality of the luxury vessel until then.
According to AMSA, the stricken yacht's distress beacon was registered to a post office box and there was no emergency contact available, complicating the rescue and increasing the response time.
AMSA says this is a timely reminder that people must provide relevant details when registering their beacons and to update it when necessary.
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