NSW Police rescue two men whose yacht broke down in the Pacific Ocean
Two neighbours who had known each other for just months have survived a harrowing ordeal at sea after NSW police sailed 36 hours to rescue them.
Two sailors whose yacht broke down nearly 1000km out to sea had a tearful reunion with their loved ones in Sydney after being rescued.
The two yachtsmen, John Mcenallay and Keith Turner, spent three harrowing days at sea before being rescued by a NSW Police vessel named Nemesis which had to sail for 36 hours to reach them.
The men, both aged in their 70s, had been on their way from New Zealand to Australia when their yacht was damaged in a storm.
When Nemesis approached a police marina in Balmain on Thursday afternoon, the sailors waved from the deck at their waiting family members, who wiped tears and hugged each other.
“Unbelievable,” Mr Mcenallay said of the moment he saw his loved ones again.
The men were rescued from a part of the Pacific Ocean off Lord Howe Island, 925km north east of Sydney.
Police said the yacht suffered damage to its sails and electrical equipment and began taking in water after sailing into some severe weather.
Australian authorities realised they were in trouble after noticing an emergency beacon had been activated by 8am on Monday.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority sent an aircraft to their rescue, and two merchant vessels were redirected to help them as well.
By 11am on Monday the Nemesis had set off to where the men were located.
It took the boat 36 hours to reach them, arriving shortly before 11pm on Tuesday evening.
“They were really happy when they got onboard,” police search and rescue coordinator Ryan Spong said.
“They have been laughing and joking the whole way back.”
Mr McEnallay and his wife moved to Karragarra Island in Queensland’s Redland Bay a few months ago, where Mr Turner lived already.
With a common interest in sailing, Mr Mcennallay and Mr Turner had only known each other for a few months when they set about sailing the yacht back from New Zealand.
When they were hit by severe weather, huge waves started beating the yacht and rapid winds tore some of the sails apart.
“It was pretty nerve-racking,” Mr Mcennallay said.
Standing barefoot on firm ground again, Mr Mcennallay sported a large gash to his forehead.
He said he was bloodied when he was knocked off his feet while using a bucket to empty the boat of some of the water that had gushed in during the heavy swell.
“I didn’t get knocked out, but I saw a lot of stars,” he said.
The men’s extensive experience is what saved them, police said.
“Both these gentlemen are extremely experienced sailors, and they were in a boat that was very well equipped, and had just been refitted with all the safety equipment, which is a credit to them,” acting superintendent Anthony Brazzill with the police’s marine area command said.
“They did the right thing.”
Mr Mcennallay and Mr Turner heaped praise on the officials who saved them.
“The professionalism of the whole system is just amazing, they deserve a medal,” Mr Turner said.
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