Officials reminded citizens to “always carry a distress signal while on the water.”
September 5, 2023, 11:31 p.m. ET
• 3 minutes reading
Three people have been rescued from the Coral Sea after “multiple shark attacks” damaged their catamaran.
Following an alert from a Russian-registered emergency positioning beacon, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority responded to the distress call early Wednesday morning at around 1:30 a.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time.
The signal came from a nine-meter-long inflatable catamaran Tion with three people on board – two Russian and one French citizens.
A 9-meter inflatable catamaran Tion with three passengers rescued in the Coral SeaAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
The sailing group had left Vanuatu in the South Pacific and was en route to Cairns, a coastal city in Queensland, Australia. Although few details are known, the stranded people were in their catamaran 835 km (519 miles) off the coast of Cairns in the Coral Sea, according to AMSA. Both hulls of the catamaran were “damaged following multiple shark attacks,” AMSA confirmed in a press release.
After receiving the beacon’s signal, AMSA dispatched a Cairns-based Challenger rescue aircraft to the catamaran’s location and secured the assistance of the Dugong Ace, a vehicle carrier flying the Panama flag.
A 9 meter long inflatable catamaran Tion with three passengers rescued in the Coral Sea. Australian Maritime Safety AuthorityAustralian Maritime Safety Authority
The three people were rescued and are expected to arrive in Brisbane, Australia, on Thursday morning.
Further information was not initially available.