Boat rescue: Two saved from capsized vessel

THE catamaran had two people on board when it flipped in the Richmond River at Ballina.

A man and woman were rescued from a catamaran which flipped on the Richmond River at Ballina on Saturday night. Picture: Surf Life Saving NSW

TWO people were rescued after their boat capsized in the Richmond River overnight.

Surf Lifesaving Far North Coast duty officer Garry Meredith said conditions were windy and choppy when emergency services were called to the scene in Ballina about 6.30pm last night.

Mr Meredith said the small Hobie catamaran had two people on board when it flipped.

"It ended up being blown up against the porpoise wall," he said.

He said the Ballina Jet Boat was also called to the incident, rescuing the man and woman from the catamaran before towing it to shore.

Emergency services were later called to reports of a suspected missing person in the Shaws Bay area.

But Mr Meredith said no people were located after an hour-long search from about 8pm and no one was reported missing.

He said crews used infra-red technology in the search and used a drone at first light this morning, but found no sign of the swimmer.

He said a security guard from a nearby venue had reported seeing a swimmer with their arm in the air.

But rescue crews were unable to find anyone in the water.

Mr Meredith said Australia Day was otherwise drama-free, aside from a few blue-bottle stings along some beaches.

He said northerly winds had kept most swimmers on the sheltered beaches yesterday, with similar conditions expected today.