The three men were sailing from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu to Cairns, Australia
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) conducted a rescue operation on Wednesday to assist three sailors who were stranded in the Coral Sea. The sailors’ vessel, a 9-meter (30-foot) inflatable catamaran named Tion had sustained significant damage due to multiple shark attacks.
AMSA responded to an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) signal from the Tion at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday. The vessel was carrying three men – one French and two Russians – with ages ranging from 28 to 64. They were en route from the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu to Cairns, Australia, and were located more than 500 miles east of the Australian coast when Rescuers reached them.
Upon reaching the sailors, it was observed that both of the catamaran’s hulls had been damaged in “several shark attacks,” as reported by AMSA.
In response to AMSA’s request for assistance, the Panamanian-flagged vehicle carrier “Dugong Ace” arrived at the scene and successfully rescued the three men who had been stranded due to the shark-damaged vessel. The sailors were anticipating their arrival in Brisbane on Thursday. Additionally, the Challenger Rescue Aircraft, based in Cairns, was deployed to provide support at the location.
Joe Zeller, the duty manager at AMSA’s Canberra response center, confirmed that all three men were “healthy and well” and expressed their happiness at being rescued.
Aerial photographs taken by the agency revealed significant damage to the partially submerged catamaran, with the front section of one hull completely detached.
Zeller highlighted the importance of the GPS-encoded EPIRB, which enabled the quick and precise pinpointing of the sailors’ location, leading to their successful rescue operation.
The AMSA emphasized the importance of having a distress beacon on board, describing this incident as a “timely reminder” of its crucial role in ensuring safety at sea.
The agency underlined that GPS-equipped Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and personal locator beacons (PLBs) can be lifesaving tools in emergencies. AMSA encouraged individuals to ensure that their distress beacons are properly registered with the agency.
US threatens North Korea over Russia arms deal, says country will ‘pay a price’
In this specific case, AMSA noted that the catamaran’s EPIRB was registered in Russia.
It’s worth noting that a journey from Vanuatu to Australia on the type of vessel the men were on typically takes approximately two to three weeks, as mentioned by Joe Zeller, the duty manager at AMSA’s Canberra response center.