Miracle as crew member who fell off a cargo ship is found alive on an Australian beach after marathon swim

A sailor who fell overboard and vanished off the NSW coast sparking an urgent search has been found alive after swimming more than 8kms to shore.

The crew member fell from the bulk carrier Double Delight about 11.30pm on Thursday, which was situated off the Newcastle coast, and swam throughout the night and all day Friday.

Paramedics were called to Boatrowers Reserve at Blacksmith Beach in Swansea about 6.30pm Friday to treat a man who had been in the water for 24 hours, a NSW Ambulance spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail Australia.

The man was suffering hypothermia and was transported to John Hunter Hospital.  

Earlier on Friday, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) were notified by the Newcastle Harbourmaster that a crew member from the Singapore-based vessel had gone overboard.

At the time, the ship was situated about 8km south east of Newcastle off the coast.

The AMSA had coordinated the search and deployed a Westpac Rescue helicopter from Williamtown along with a Defence helicopter from Belmont near Newcastle to scour the water.

Newcastle-based NSW Water Police, Marine Rescue NSW units, and a Port Stephens-based Water Police vessel were also called in to assist.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority co-ordinated the search off the Newcastle coast

A Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson earlier said the two vessels with volunteer crew were out searching for most of the day Friday.

‘Right now … they’re still out on the water, they will remain on the water until instructed otherwise by Marine Area Command,’ the spokesperson said.

The Double Delight is a 2015-built bulk cargo carrier which had left the Japanese coast on October 19. 

The crew member had not been seen since late Thursday night after falling from the cargo ship (pictured)

Helicopters were deployed in the search with the man found suffering hypothermia on a Swansea beach and transported to John Hunter Hospital