Three people have died off the coast of New South Wales, Australia, including two volunteer marine rescuers whose vessel capsized in dangerous conditions while responding to a sinking yacht. The tragedy unfolded on Monday evening near South Ballina, a coastal town close to the border of New South Wales and Queensland, when a member of the public reported a yacht in distress near the local breakwater.
A six-person crew from Marine Rescue NSW — a volunteer organisation — launched a response boat and headed to the scene, but the vessel capsized while crossing the Ballina Bar in what police described as "extremely treacherous" conditions, including a 2.5-metre swell and strong winds. Some crew members were ejected from the vessel; others were briefly trapped inside its hull. Two rescuers, aged 78 and 62, both locals from Ballina, died. Their bodies were recovered separately — one by helicopter, one found on the sand. The four surviving crew members, aged 55, 61, 61 and 75, were treated for minor injuries and hospitalised but are expected to make full recoveries.
The yacht they had set out to help struck the breakwall, broke apart and sank. A third man, believed to have been aboard the yacht and aged in his mid-50s, was found dead on the sand nearby. He had not been wearing a life jacket and has yet to be formally identified. Police do not believe anyone else was aboard the yacht. A dive team is expected to return to the site later in the week to recover evidence as part of an ongoing investigation into how the vessel came to be so close to the breakwall.
Police paid strong tribute to the fallen volunteers. Superintendent Joe McNulty of the NSW Police Marine Area Command called the two men "heroes" who "volunteer their lives to save others." Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Todd Andrews described their deaths as a solemn reminder of the risks volunteers face, saying they had "made the ultimate sacrifice to help others." NSW Premier Chris Minns also offered his condolences, praising the rescuers' courage and public-mindedness.
The incident has shaken Ballina, a close-knit community where the loss of local volunteers has been felt deeply. Residents described the tragedy as a painful reminder of the dangers faced by those who respond to maritime emergencies, often in conditions that put their own lives at risk. The rescue vessel used, a Ballina 30, was described by police as purpose-built for New South Wales coastal conditions, though questions about the mission's circumstances remain part of the investigation.