Luxury yacht: UK skipper sailing from Tahiti rescued after Newcastle capsize

A UK skipper Sydney-bound from Tahiti had to be rescued from his $600,000 luxury high-performance yacht after it capsized off the Newcastle coast.

A British skipper sailing from Tahiti to Sydney is now in hotel quarantine after he had to be rescued from a luxury $600,000 yacht when his vessel capsized in rough waters near Newcastle around midnight on Friday.

The Marine Area Command (MAC) received a distress call about 12am after the 50-foot Beneateau yacht capsized 95 nautical miles off the Newcastle coast.

The Oceanis luxury yacht costs more than half a million dollars and is a popular choice for high-performance sailors who want to travel the world’s seas.

The skipper was on the Beneteau Oceanis 51.1. Picture: www.beneteau.com

The boat and the skipper — a 40-year-old UK national — were not located until 10am the next day, when a dramatic 16-hour rescue operation unfolded.

The boat was towed to Newcastle Harbour and arrived about 1.30am on Saturday.

The skipper has been processed through immigration by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers because he had travelled from Tahiti.

He was then escorted by police to a hotel in Sydney’s CBD where he will undergo mandatory quarantine.

The vessel remains moored at Newcastle Harbour.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000

Originally published as Luxury yacht: UK skipper sailing from Tahiti rescued after Newcastle capsize