A helicopter and boat rescue took place at the mouth of the Kiah River in Twofold Bay south of Eden after a mayday situation occurred on Friday afternoon (February 3).
A vessel with two people on board reportedly overturned in rough conditions just after 1pm, with one person in the water and a second person trapped in the hull.
Marine Rescue vessel XRAY 21 was dispatched to the site, along with the Westpac rescue helicopter, Surf Lifesaving crews and staff from the Eden Slipway Services. A private citizen who witnessed the incident also assisted.
Both boaters were rescued with a 58-year-old woman airlifted from the water to a waiting ambulance at nearby Eden Sports Ground while a 59-year-old man was taken to medics at Snug Cove by boat.
NSW Ambulance Paramedics confirmed no visible injuries were recorded for either person, but they had been in the water for a period of time.
Both patients were taken to South East Regional Hospital in Bega for further treatment; the male patient has since been released.
Marine Rescue Eden have thanked the local boaters on Controlled Chaos who dropped what they were doing and went on-scene to provide Marine Rescue with valuable situational information.
They also thanked Eden Slipway Services staff who did “an outstanding job assisting until the helicopter and rescue vessel arrived as well as ultimately the vessel recovery.”
Images: Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters
Video: Marine Rescue