Daring rescue of four men after their boat sank

Four mates have been hauled to safety after their boat sank in dangerous waters off Mt Eliza. See how their amazing rescue unfolded.

An end-of-year boating trip turned into a life or death struggle for survival for four mates when their vessel sank in waters off Mt Eliza.

The boat began taking on water 1km from shore about 8.45pm on December 30.

The men clung to a single life jacket and an Esky until help arrived.

Senior Constable Kristina Clappison, of the Water Police Squad, said an activated emergency beacon had undoubtedly saved their lives.

“There is no doubt the outcome could have been very different if these men didn’t have an emergency beacon,” she said.

“They’ve also bought crucial time until help arrived by having a life jacket.’

The group was able to activate an emergency position indicating radio beacon which raised the alarm, even as their store of life jackets vanished beneath the waves.

Four men were rescued on December 30.

The four men – three aged 27 and one aged 26 – told police they had other life jackets on board but didn’t have time to retrieve them.

One of the men used his phone torch to help guide the group’s rescuers in the darkness.

Police Air Wing monitored the incident from overhead and directed the Mornington Volunteer Marine Rescue to the scene.

Secretary of the Mornington VMR, Rick Cooper, said a skipper and two crew members were able to get onto the water eight minutes after being alerted and it took a further 10 minutes to reach the men.

Rick Cooper, secretary of VMR Mornington, with a fellow rescuer who dragged four young men to safety.

“The EPIRB (emergency beacon) made it an almost surgical operation,” he said.

“We knew exactly where to go. They were only 20 metres from the EPIRB and we were able to get straight to them.”

Sen Const. Clappison said she commended the volunteers on their efforts.

“Their quick response and professionalism in difficult conditions was exemplary,” she said.

The men were brought to shore at Mornington and nobody was injured.

Water Police expect the sunken vessel will likely be retrieved on Thursday.