Australian Sailor Rescued After Sailboat Springs a Leak

A 66-year-old Australian man was rescued on December 2 after his sailboat began taking on water and sinking off the coast of Grande Terre in the Northern Lagoon.

The Operational Service and Rescue Center (OSC) received a distress signal from a Piper sailboat at approximately 7:30 a.m. local time. The Australian Rescue Centre in Canberra assisted the OSC in contacting the lone sailor, who reported rudder damage and an uncontrollable leak threatening to sink his vessel. 

The OSC coordinated a response, deploying a Casa aircraft from the Armed Forces in New Caledonia and requesting assistance from the nearby vessel Vanuatu Chief, as well as a Gardian aircraft and a rescue helicopter.

At around 9:45 a.m., the Gardian aircraft located the sailboat and communicated with the sailor, who indicated that his vessel would likely sink within hours. By noon, the Vanuatu Chief reached the sailboat, dispatched a rescue boat, and safely evacuated the sailor. 

He was later airlifted by helicopter and transported to Poum in North Caledonia by 2:00 p.m. local time. This coordinated effort ensured a successful rescue and prevented what could have been a tragic outcome.