Two people have been rescued after issuing a distress call in waters off the Tweed early on Thursday morning.
An 11-metre catamaran en route to Ballina became stranded 22 nautical miles off the coast of Point Danger after the vessel’s steering cables broke and its back-up systems failed.
A Pan Pan call was made to authorities at about 5.45am, sparking a rescue operation.
Crews from Marine Rescue New South Wales at Point Danger were deployed just after 6am, but had to contend with difficult conditions with two-metre seas and 20-knot winds.
The rescue vessel reached the catamaran just before 7.30am, before checking on the welfare of the two people on board.
The distressed vessel was secured with a towline before being taken back to Tweed Heads.
The vessel crossed the Tweed River bar just after 11am before successfully mooring at around 11.30am.
“Both people on board the catamaran were exhausted but extremely grateful to be taken to enclosed waters,” Marine Rescue Point Danger Deputy Unit Commander Guy Youngblutt said.
“Our crew and radio operators did a wonderful job this morning in fatiguing circumstances.”
