Two sailors stranded for 11 hours in six-metre swell after their yacht broke down are rescued off Australia’s south coast
- Two sailors spent more than 12 hours stranded in rough seas off South Australia
- Alarm raised after yacht ‘Raucous Behaviour’ lost engine power in Spencer Gulf
- Coordinated police rescue effort brought the sailors to shore in Port Victoria
- The men aged 64 and 58 were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia
Two sailors are recovering in hospital after they spent more than 12 hours stranded in dangerous seas when the engine on their yacht broke down.
The two men from Adelaide raised the alarm at around 4.30 am on Saturday after their 10.9 metre yacht ‘Raucous Behaviour’ lost engine power in the Spencer Gulf off the South Australian coast.
By 6.30am, the sailors were stuck more than 30 nautical miles offshore in six-metre waves.
Two sailors on board Raucous Behaviour (pictured) spent half the day stranded at sea
‘The engine stopped and they then had to turn it and go with the sea,’ rescuer David Mumford told 9 News.
Local police liaised with the Water Operations Unit, while the Australian Maritime Safety Authority and SA Sea Rescue Squadron made contact with a nearby cargo ship, which guided the stricken yacht back to calmer waters towards Port Victoria.
The sailors (left and back) were relieved when they finally made it to shore in Port Victoria
A search and rescue jet was sent from Victoria to coordinate the rescue from the air.
Volunteer marine rescuers intercepted the sailors 11 hours after they first raised the alarm and brought them to shore at Port Victoria.
‘They were glad to get on board,’ Mr Mumford said.
‘They were a bit cold and tired as they had been working since 4am.’
The experienced sailors were bringing the vessel from Tumby Bay on Eyre Peninsula’s eastern coast to Adelaide.
Volunteer marine rescuers (pictured) brought the sailors back to shore, where they were taken to hospital
Raucous Behaviour (pictured) is now anchored in the Spencer Gulf off Wardang Island until it can be towed in calmer waters
Both men aged 64 and 58 were taken to hospital suffering from hypothermia.
‘South Australia Police wish to thank all involved in the rescue, particularly the skipper and crew of the ICS Silver Lining, a cargo ship heading to Whyalla that detoured to assist the stricken yacht and positioned their vessel as a windbreak, to protect the yacht from the rough seas,’ a police statement said.
‘The stricken yacht will remain anchored in the Spencer Gulf off Wardang Island, until it can be towed in calmer waters.’
The experienced sailors were heading from Tumby Bay back home to Adelaide when disaster struck
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