Three men found themselves battling for their lives when their inflatable catamaran was repeatedly attacked by sharks off Australia’s northeastern coast.
The trio, consisting of two Russians and one French citizen, were approximately 510 miles from shore when they sent out a distress alert, catching the attention of Australian authorities, according to a statement from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
Shark Attacks on the Catamaran
The ill-fated journey began when the Russian vessel departed from the picturesque Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu with a destination set for the city of Cairns in Queensland. However, their voyage took a terrifying turn when their 30-foot catamaran fell victim to multiple shark attacks, causing substantial damage to both hulls.
Responding swiftly to the distress call, Australian officials enlisted the assistance of a nearby Panama-flagged ship, the Dugong Ace, and dispatched a Challenger rescue aircraft from Cairns to aid in the rescue mission.
When the rescuers arrived, they were met with a terrifying sight: large sections of the catamaran’s hull were missing, a testament to the shark attacks’ relentlessness. “There are many reasons why vessels are attacked by sharks,” AMSA Response Centre manager Joe Zeller said of the incident.
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A Miraculous Rescue at Sea
However, the motivations of these sharks are unclear.” The three sailors, aged between 28 and 64, were remarkably unharmed and in good health when they were safely brought aboard the Dugong Ace, which was now en route to Brisbane. Their initial voyage, which was meant to span two to three weeks, had been cut short by this harrowing ordeal.
Zeller emphasized the significance of the emergency beacon, which played a pivotal role in the successful rescue. “The emergency beacon absolutely saved their lives,” he stated, underscoring its crucial role in pinpointing their precise location and facilitating a swift and appropriate response.
The trio is anticipated to reach Brisbane on Thursday, as confirmed by the AMSA. This incident serves as another reminder of the recent surge in shark and orca attacks on vessels, although the exact reasons behind these encounters remain shrouded in mystery.
Investigations are ongoing to determine any possible connections or underlying causes for these alarming incidents.
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