newy.com.au – A lone boater swam to shore after a vessel caught fire and sank at Wyee Bay on Lake Macquarie overnight.
Marine Rescue NSW said police requested its assistance shortly after 9pm on Monday, August 10, prompting volunteers from the Lake Macquarie unit to deploy aboard Lake Macquarie 30.
The rescue crew travelled to Mannering Park boat ramp, where it collected four Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters and their hazardous materials equipment before transporting them to the burning vessel.
The firefighters tackled the blaze from the Marine Rescue boat, but the vessel could not be saved.
“Thankfully, the lone person on board was able to swim to shore, but the vessel was destroyed by fire and subsequently sank in approximately 4.5 metres of water,” Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Jane Shirriff said.
Marine Rescue radio operators have been broadcasting safety warnings because of the submerged wreck, urging other boaters to keep clear of the area.
The crew returned the firefighters to Mannering Park and arrived back at its base shortly before 1am.
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