Media Release

Three rescued from grounded yacht in Australia's far North-West

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) today coordinated the rescue of three people from the sloop Petama which had run aground on a reef 500 kilometres north of Broome.

The people had abandoned ship to a small inflatable dinghy and activated a Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) which was confirmed by satellite at around 10am (EST).

A Customs Coastwatch Dash-8 aircraft was diverted to the EPIRB position and located the yacht Petama aground on a shallow reef with the occupants of the vessel in a dinghy.

The 23-metre fishing vessel Titan responded to an AMSA request for assistance from ships in the area as did the tanker Torben Spirit.

One male survivor paddled a surf ski to the Titan before a line was attached to the remaining survivor’s dinghy and it was pulled to the fishing vessel through the breaking waves around the reef.

All survivors were on board the fishing vessel by about 3.15 pm (EST).

The Petama was badly damaged after running aground in heavy seas.

Hi-resolution aerial photographs of the Petama aground are available in the media room on the Australian Customs Service website www.customs.gov.au

Further information:

Ben Mitchell, 0418 164 901