Seaborne rescue near Shoalwater Bay

A simple broken gearbox has led to a major rescue effort which saw three men towed in to shore for more than six hours.

A Capricorn Rescue chopper has been called out to marine search and rescue about 112km north-east of Rockhampton on April 19. Picture: CapRescue/X

Three men have been rescued after their boat broke down 100 kilometres north-east of Rosslyn Bay.

Yeppoon Coast Guard volunteers were alerted at 11.20am by Queensland police on Easter Sunday that an emergency position-indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) was let off around Port Clinton in the Shoalwater Bay area.

Yeppoon Coast Guard flotilla commander Merv Studt said three men were out fishing when the gearbox in their boat broke.

“There was no one around so they let off their EPIRB,” he said.

Five volunteers from the Yeppoon Coast Guard travelled from Rosslyn Bay to tow the men and their boat back to shore.

A challenger aircraft based in Cairns also took part in the operation, directed by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority.

The Capricorn Rescue chopper also took part according to its own post on social media site X.

Mr Studt said the return trip took six hours, with both the Australian Coast Guard vessel and the fishing boat making landfall at Rosslyn Bay at 9pm Easter Sunday.

There were no reported injuries and Comm Studt said the event highlighted the importance of having an EPIRB on board your vessel.

“You’ll be silly not to go out with it,” he said.

In Queensland EPIRB’s are mandatory to have if travelling in open water.

Shoalwater Bay is a military training area.