The UK man entered Australian waters on a yacht he sailed from Tahiti and was rescued and placed in hotel quarantine after his vessel got into trouble in rough seas off the coast of Newcastle, about 160kms north of Sydney.

A gruelling 26-hour operation ended in the early hours of Saturday morning May 15 when New South Wales Police Marine Area Command (MAC) officers rescued the skipper and his 50-foot yacht.

MAC officers received reports at about midnight on Friday May 14 of a 50-foot Beneteau yacht taking on water 95 nautical miles (176km) off the coast of Newcastle.

Just after 10am, Port Stephens Water Police, with help from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, determined the yacht’s location at 73 nautical miles (146km) from the coast of Newcastle.

MAC officers then towed the skipper, a 40-year-old UK national, and his yacht through violent waters to Newcastle Harbour.

The yacht had sailed from Tahiti, NSW Police confirmed.

Police arrived at Newcastle Harbour with the skipper just after 1.30am on Saturday.

Immigration officers from Australian Border Force (ABF) processed the man, directing police to escort him to a hotel in Sydney’s CBD for 14-day mandatory quarantine.

The yacht remains moored at Newcastle Harbour.

Source:  NSW Police Force

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