Australian authorities rescue Russian catamaran attacked by sharks

Australian authorities have rescued three people aboard a Russian catamaran damaged in “several shark attacks” in the Coral Sea off Cairns.

Australian authorities have rescued two Russians and a French sailor on a catamaran bound for Cairns after it was damaged by sharks.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said the nine-meter inflatable catamaran named Tion was sailing from Vanuatu to Cairns, Queensland.

At 1.30am on Wednesday, AMSA responded to Russian-registered emergency position-indicating radio beacons (EPIRBs) 835km southeast of Cairns in the Coral Sea.

“Both hulls of the vessel have been damaged following several shark attacks,” a statement said.

The Russian catamaran had both its hulls damaged in shark attacks. Picture: Australian Maritime Safety Authority

ASMA then requested assistance from Panama-flagged vehicle carrier Dugong Ace and sent a Cairns-based Challenger rescue aircraft to the distressed vessel.

Dugong Ace successfully rescued three people on-board the catamaran, who are due to arrive in Brisbane on Thursday morning.

Two were Russian citizens and one was a French citizen.

It is understood the Russians were sailors Evgeny Kovalevsky and Stanislav Berezkin, who were on a circumnavigation expedition, and the French man was Vincent Beaujeu.

The three rescued sailors were believed to be part of a three-year round-the-world expedition. Picture: Supplied

According to the Russian Geographical Society, Mr Kovalevsky and Mr Berezkin set off on the first Russian round-the-world expeditions of the 19th century on July 1, 2021.

They left Vanuatu for Australia on August 28.

The group had been repairing the boat in Vanuatu, where they reported many bite marks from small sharks.

“We set off from Vanuatu, from the island of Efate, where we had been moored for a week, made repairs,” Mr Kovalevsky said, according to an RGS article on August 29.

“We are going to Cairns, Australia. The waves are up to three meters; the breeze is up to 20 knots, probably. At times it will pick up to all 25.”

Vehicle carrier Dugong Ace rescued three people on-board. Picture: Australian Maritime Safety Authority

ASMA said it was a “timely reminder” to always carry a distress beacon while out on the water.

“GPS-equipped EPIRBs and personal locater beacons (PLBs) can save your life in an emergency,” the authority said.

“Make sure your distress beacon is properly registered with AMSA.”