- Three people saved from shark attack on inflatable vessel.
- Rescue authorities report the trio was 510 miles off Australia’s northeastern coast.
- Rescuers find 30-foot catamaran with significant hull damage.
Three men on an inflatable catamaran rescued off Australia’s northeast coast after shark attacks.
The trio—two Russians and one French citizen—were approximately 510 miles from shore when Australian authorities received their distress alert in the early morning, according to a statement from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
The catamaran, which had departed from Vanuatu and was en route to Cairns in Queensland, suffered damage to both hulls as a result of multiple shark attacks, reported the AMSA.
Rescue officials requested assistance from the Panama-flagged ship, the Dugong Ace, and deployed a Challenger rescue aircraft to aid in the operation.
Rescuers arrived to find large sections of the catamaran’s hull missing.
“The motivations of these sharks are unclear,” said Joe Zeller, manager of the AMSA Response Centre. “Sharks attack vessels for various reasons.”
Footage captured by the rescue plane shows the condition of the vessel upon arrival.
The three sailors, aged 28 to 64, are in good health and are currently aboard the Dugong Ace, heading to Brisbane. Their total journey would have taken approximately two to three weeks, according to Zeller.
Zeller added, “The emergency beacon absolutely saved their lives. It allowed the rescue coordination center to pinpoint their exact location and facilitate the fastest and most appropriate response.”
The trio is expected to reach Brisbane on Thursday, as confirmed by the AMSA.
Shark and orca encounters with vessels have garnered attention this summer with a rise in reported incidents. However, the cause of these occurrences, if related at all, remains unknown.
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