Marine Rescue volunteers called to rescue second vessel out of fuel
by Ken McManus on 26 Jul 2014
Rescue vessel Bermagui 30 Marine Rescue NSW
http://www.marinerescuensw.com,.au
Volunteers from Marine Rescue Bermagui have again been called to rescue a fishing boat stranded far offshore after running out of fuel – only two days after an almost identical emergency operation.
The NSW Police Force Marine Area Command at Eden tasked the Marine Rescue crew at 10.30am to rescue the 8.3m boat adrift 24 nautical miles (24km) out to sea with four people on board.
Bermagui 30 is now under way, with crew members Steven Angelo, Ray McLeod and Mark Donnelly aboard. It will take a little over an hour to reach the vessel’s location but the tow home will be much longer.
On Thursday, this same rescue crew undertook a marathon 10-hour operation when a 10m flybridge cruiser with six people on board ran out of fuel 35 nautical miles (65km) out, on the edge of the Continental Shelf.
Acting Monaro Regional Controller Glenn Sullivan said today’s operation was taking place in less favourable conditions than on Thursday, with a Strong Wind Warning current for Eden and Batemans waters.
'There is a run of tuna on out wide at present and this seems to be attracting these vessels. I strongly urge anyone else planning to go offshore fishing to ensure that they carry sufficient fuel for the journey,' Mr Sullivan said.
'A good rule of thumb is to give yourself a third of the tank to get where you’re going, a third to get back and a third in reserve for the unexpected.
'Once again, these boaters are fortunate that Marine Rescue NSW has the skilled and experienced volunteers and the modern and reliable vessels and technology vital to undertake rescue operations on this scale.'
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