Two fishermen have been rescued after drifting nine kilometres offshore when their boat suffered an electrical fault near Binalong Bay yesterday.
Police received multiple calls just before 2pm on Sunday reporting what appeared to be a boat on fire at sea.
The rescue helicopter was dispatched along with volunteers from St Helens Marine Rescue.
The helicopter located the 4.6-metre aluminium runabout shortly before 5pm, with both occupants seen waving to the rescue crew.
Helens Marine Rescue vessel George’s Bay then attended and rescued the two men.
A 63-year-old man was treated at St Helens District Hospital for smoke inhalation after breathing in smoke to his face and eyes.
He was discharged the same evening. The other man did not require medical treatment.
Police believe the men deliberately set items on their vessel alight to create smoke after the electrical fault left them stranded.
“It’s obviously not a conventional way but it is a way of alerting persons on shore to distress,” Sergeant Josh Hayes said.
The smoke was visible for no longer than five minutes, but was photographed by someone on shore who alerted police.
The men had been at sea for about eight hours, having left to go fishing near The Gardens.
Both were wearing life jackets when rescued.
Drift modelling from the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Canberra indicated the vessel was drifting north and further east to sea when found.
“These gentlemen are very lucky,” Sergeant Hayes said.
“If it wasn’t for the diligence of the persons on shore to see that smoke and report it to police, it’s quite likely that we wouldn’t have been alerted to their disappearance for a number of hours later.”
The vessel was not fitted with an EPIRB and wasn’t required to have one where it was operating.
However, Sergeant Hayes recommended boaties try to exceed minimum safety requirements.
“We’d highly recommend taking an EPIRB if going to sea,” he said.
Police are urging boaters to tell someone where they’re going and when they expect to return, and to carry communication devices including mobile phones, VHF radios or EPIRBs.
“When all else fails, someone you trust can raise the alarm if you are overdue,” Sergeant Hayes said.
The vessel, which had both a four-stroke outboard motor and auxiliary motor which both failed, was left at sea due to fire damage and the need to get the occupants to shore quickly.
“It was definitely not a vessel made for being nine kilometres out at sea,” Sergeant Hayes said.
