Two sailors have expressed their gratitude to the teams who rescued them from their sinking yacht in an epic mission that began 24 hours earlier.
Brett, 60, and Lisa, 48, activated their emergency beacon at 12.40pm on Monday when they were 185 kilometres east of Nowra on the New South Wales south coast.
His 20-metre yacht, Spirit of Mateship, suffered a mechanical problem and his boat began taking on water and lost its rudder.
The New South Wales Water Police vessel Nemesis arrived at the yacht at about 3am on Tuesday.
The pair were rescued and boarded the Nemesis four hours later, unharmed and “in good spirits,” according to the Australian Maritime and Safety Authority.
The Nemesis set sail into Sydney Harbour shortly before 6pm before sailors were reunited with their families 30 minutes later when the ship docked in Balmain.
The couple thanked the emergency teams who helped them reach dry land safely.
“Everyone did a fabulous job. I can’t fault them one bit,” Brett told reporters.
Lisa, 48, and Brett, 60, arrived in Sydney at 6.30pm on Tuesday night. The two sailors thanked the many rescuers and said they felt “safe” (pictured, the couple disembarking from the New South Wales Police vessel Nemesis).
The couple’s yacht was pushed some 185 kilometres off the east coast due to strong winds (pictured, sailors address the media after their arrival).
When asked how they felt about returning home, Lisa said she felt “safe, secure and happy” and said they hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.
“There was great communication and a great effort from everyone,” he said.
Brett added that he was feeling “fine now” and appreciated the “great coffee” made by one of the team members and the mince pies they were given “helped.”
The experienced sailor urged everyone to equip their boat with an emergency beacon.
“We have a disaster location beacon. They’re great,” he said.
“Otherwise, who knows where we would be.”
NSW Marine Area Command Acting Superintendent Siobhan Munro said the rescue mission had been a “resounding success”. ABC News reported.
The family greeted the couple as they arrived on the Nemesis in Balmain at around 6.30pm on Tuesday (pictured, Brett hugging a loved one).
The yacht Spirit of Mateship (pictured right) was taking on water and had lost its rudder. The police boat Nemesis (pictured middle) arrived at around 3am on Tuesday and made contact with the crew.
The couple were rescued and were on board the Nemesis at 7:25am on Tuesday after the rescue team had to wait due to bad weather (photos of the moment Brett and Lisa are rescued from their stricken yacht)
The two sailors are believed to have left Jervis Bay, New South Wales, on Sunday or Monday bound for Sydney, with Brett then continuing on to the Gold Coast.
The yacht was initially located 85 nautical miles from Sydney, but due to bad weather conditions, the boat ended up 160 nautical miles from the coast when rescue teams arrived.
“The winds were that strong and that fast, pushing the boat away,” said NSW Marine Area Command Sergeant Ryan Spong.
Their call for help triggered a comprehensive emergency response with officers from Marine Area Command and the Australian Defence Force briefed by the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre on the distress beacon.
The sailors said they didn’t get much sleep the night before their rescue, but once on the Nemesis they felt safe and were able to sleep (pictured: Brett in the middle, dressed in blue; Lisa, right).
The Nemesis reached the sailors at around 3am on Tuesday, but they had to wait just over four hours for the weather to clear before they were able to rescue Brett and Lisa. (pictured, the Nemesis returns to Sydney Harbour on Tuesday evening with the rescued sailors)
Three ASMA and NSW Ambulance helicopters flew to the yacht and made contact with the sailors on Monday evening before turning back due to bad weather and fuel considerations.
An RAFF C130 aircraft also scrambled to contact the crew, and Royal Navy ships HMAS Arunta and HMAS Canberra also addressed the distressed vessel.
Activation of the emergency beacon triggered a joint rescue operation involving the New South Wales Police, the Royal Australian Navy and the New South Wales Ambulance Service (pictured)
Spirit of Mateship had participated in several yacht races between Sydney and Hobart, but could not be saved and was abandoned at sea.
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