Children pulled from Port Phillip Bay after mass sailing mishap during Melbourne regatta
Dozens of children have been pulled from the water after a sailing incident saw boats capsize due to strong winds.
Dozens of children were safely pulled from the waters off Melbourne as strong winds forced sailboats to capsize.
The incident prompted a massive emergency services response shortly after 11am on Sunday as more than 60 people were rescued in a joint effort by Water Police, Life Saving Victoria and the St Kilda coast guard.
The group of more than 40 sailboats had departed from Williamstown on Sunday morning when strong winds overturned vessels off Port Melbourne.
Sailors were rescued after becoming stranded in rough conditions in shipping channel waters.
ðŸ›°ï¸ A cold front is moving through south-east Aus bringing rain, storms & cooler temps after heat on Saturday
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 16, 2024
âš ï¸ Warnings current for heavy rain & damaging winds for parts of #Vic, #NSW, #ACT and #Tas. Severe storms also possible later on Sunday
Latest: https://t.co/pIVv1tfrIhpic.twitter.com/haaMbFL37C
The children, who were all wearing life jackets, were bought safely back to land, according to a Victoria Police spokeswoman.
“A well-co-ordinated emergency service response has helped to successfully rescue children after their sailing boats capsized in strong winds,” she said.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a weather warning for damaging wind gusts about coastal parts of the state on Sunday morning, including the southwest coast.
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