REVEALED: How teenage girl, 16, and her father desperately clung to their capsized catamaran as her grandparents drowned in family tragedy that left three dead
- A catamaran with five on board capsized 13km from Stockton Beach, Newcastle
- Rescuers winched girl and her father to safety and rushed them to hospital
- Three adults, including teen's grandparents, were found dead in water
A 16-year-old girl and her father were clinging on to an overturned catamaran while three other passengers, including the teen's grandparents, drowned in rough seas off Newcastle.
Authorities were alerted when an emergency beacon was activated from the capsized boat 13 nautical miles off Stockton Beach about 10.10am on Thursday.
The teenager and her 50-year-old dad were winched from the water and taken to John Hunter Hospital to be treated for hypothermia.
The girl's 78-year-old grandmother and grandfather and a third unidentified body were retrieved from the water by Marine Rescue, NSW Police said.
A 16-year-old girl and her father were clinging on to an overturned catamaran while three other passengers, including the teen's grandparents, drowned in rough seas off Newcastle
The bodies arrive back at Marine Police Headquarters in Newcastle Harbour after the yachting tragedy
'The two people that they retrieved from the water were actually clutching on to the overturned vessel,' Ambulance NSW Inspector Luke Wiseman told reporters in Newcastle.
The rescue mission was complicated by high seas, strong winds and debris in the water, he said.
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Authorities say all five people were wearing life jackets.
The 11.7-metre catamaran had left Shoal Bay earlier on Thursday morning and was heading south toward Ettalong Beach on the Central Coast.
Detective Acting Superintendent Grant Healey said it was unclear how the boat capsized, with police yet to speak to the two survivors.
Ambulance NSW Inspector Luke Wiseman said crews responded to an emergency beacon from the 11.7-metre yacht and arrived to a distressing scene. Pictured: Bodies of the dead arrive on shore
'The conditions were difficult,' he told reporters in Sydney.
'We had 25 to 30 knot westerly winds, with the sea at one to two metres coming the other way. So it was fairly messy out there.'
Authorities have not yet been able to recover the overturned catamaran, which is drifting out to sea.
'As soon as there is favourable sea conditions there will be an attempt to salvage the vessel,' Det Acting Supt Healy said.
The man and the girl were taken to John Hunter Hospital where they are being treated for hypothermia. Pictured: Bodies of the dead arrive on shore
Marine police and a Westpac rescue helicopter rushed to the scene. Pictured is a police boat next to the sinking catamaran
'But while the weather is like it is, all we can do is let the boating community know where it is.'
A strong wind warning is in place along the NSW coast, from the Hunter down to Eden.
Roads and Maritime Services are urging fishers and boaties to be extra cautious, with choppy conditions expected on exposed bays as well as dangerously rough conditions offshore.
The five sailors, who set off from Shoal Bay at the north end of Stockton Beach and were heading for Ettalong on the Central Coast, have not been identified. Pictured: Bodies of the dead arrive on shore
Police said the capsized boat was still drifting off Newcastle and police will attempt to salvage it when the wind calms. Pictured: Bodies of the dead arrive on shore
Ambulance NSW Inspector Luke Wiseman said crews arrived to find a 'very, very confronting' scene. Pictured: A stock image of a catamaran
