Volunteers and two vessels from Marine Rescue Point Danger safely assisted thirteen people to shore on Saturday afternoon after a commercial dive vessel experienced engine issues and was unable to safely cross the Tweed Bar.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said volunteer radio operators at Marine Rescue Point Danger received a call for assistance from the skipper of the dive boat just before noon on Saturday.
‘The dive boat was positioned just outside the Tweed Bar and in need of assistance. Marine Rescue NSW vessels Point Danger 31 and Point Danger 20 were deployed to assist. Both rescue vessels safely crossed the bar and reached the disabled dive boat,’ he said.
‘The situation was assessed before our crews began transferring 13 people from the dive boat onto the rescue vessels. They were then safely transported across the Tweed Bar and returned to the pump-out jetty on Minjungbal Drive.
‘After returning the passengers, bar conditions were not favourable for crossing with a vessel in tow and we advised the dive boat skipper to wait in safer waters.
‘The skipper of the dive boat remained on board the vessel, which had one engine still operating, and slowly took it to a public mooring off Cook Island to wait for conditions to improve,’ Inspector Murray said.
The Marine Rescue Point Danger crews waited for conditions to improve later in the afternoon before towing the disabled dive boat to the pump-out jetty.
‘Conditions improved on the run-in tide and Point Danger 31 successfully towed the dive boat across the bar without incident,’ Inspector Murray said.
Seamless rescue
Marine Rescue Point Danger Unit Commander Aaron Ashley said the response by both vessel crews and radio operators was seamless.
‘The skipper of the dive boat described it as a smooth operation. Our volunteers train regularly to respond to incidents like this one. In fact, crews were out earlier in the day doing just that,’ Unit Commander Ashley said.
Marine Rescue Point Danger is currently recruiting volunteers, with trainee vessel crew and radio operator courses set to commence in August.
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