Three people died as volunteers attempted to help a yacht in distress off the east coast of Australia, New South Wales (NSW) police have said.
On Monday evening, a member of the public reported that a yacht appeared to be struggling at a break wall in Ballina in northern NSW, police said.
A vessel of volunteer service Marine Rescue NSW with six crew on board was responding to the call when “their vessel capsized while crossing the Ballina Bar in heavy conditions,” state police said on Tuesday.
“At this time, three people are confirmed deceased, while four made it to shore; it’s unknown how many people were on the yacht. It’s believed the yacht has now sunk,” NSW Police said.
Two of the deceased, aged 78 and 62, were from the Marine Rescue service, police said. The body of a third person, a man believed to be in his 50s, was located on the sand near the site of the incident.
The four people who made it to shore, all from the Marine Rescue service, were treated for various injuries before being taken to hospital.
“It was unknown how many people were on the yacht at the time, which has since sunk,” police said, adding that the search was suspended on Tuesday “after inquiries indicate that no other persons were on board the yacht at the time.”
Between October 1, 2025 and April 25, 2026, Marine Rescue NSW volunteers assisted more than 7,000 people across the state’s waterways, according to data released by the organization at the end of April.