Two sailors and the boat they were trying to take to Queensland have been returned to Yamba after a massive search operation over the weekend.
Emergency services were contacted about 8.20pm Saturday after the men failed to reach Southport, Queensland, at their scheduled time of 5pm.
Marine Rescue said the skipper had reported leaving Yamba Harbour in an 8.4 metre-long catamaran around 9am.
A multi-agency search that night continued past midnight before starting again in daylight hours.
Volunteers at Port Macquarie say they received a call from the men around 9pm Sunday.
The sailors were reportedly 22 nautical miles east of Sandon Beach, Sandon, in the Clarence Valley.
They’ve been rescued by air and Marine Rescue volunteers towed the vessel back to Yamba.
The 50 and 68-year-old are said to be physically unhurt but suffering extreme exhaustion.
EARLIER: Local volunteers joined a major search along the NSW north coast for two sailers reported missing at sea Saturday night.
The men are said to have left Yamba Harbour aboard an 8.4-metre-long white catamaran called Mangrove Jack around 8am Saturday.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said the skipper logged on with Marine Rescue when the pair left port, sharing their planned route and expected time of arrival.
They were scheduled to reach Southport, Queensland, at around five o’clock Saturday afternoon but failed to arrive.
Emergency services said they were contacted about 8.20pm, triggering a major search featuring NSW land, water and air police as well as officers from the Queensland Police Service, Marine Rescue volunteers, Surf Lifesavers, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.
Inspector Murray said on Sunday numerous attempts by Marine Rescue radio operators to contact the vessel had failed.
Three boats with crews from the Ballina, Brunswick Heads and Point Danger volunteer rescue units were searching a large area off the NSW north coast from Evans Head to Tweed Heads.
‘Volunteers on board Point Danger 31 commenced searching under the direction of Marine Area Command, before returning to the base shortly before 1am,’ Inspector Murray said.
Brunswick 30 and Ballina 30 joined Point Danger 31 in the search early Sunday morning, he said.
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