Volunteers from Marine Rescue Ballina have negotiated challenging two to three metre swells on the Ballina Bar today to rescue a male foilboarder who was swept out to sea during the outgoing tide.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector John Murray said NSW Police Marine Area Command tasked Marine Rescue Ballina with the mission just after 12pm today, Sunday 13 April.
“Because of the rough conditions on the bar, Marine Rescue NSW vessel Ballina 21 was deployed for the mission. Ballina 21 is a highly manoeuvrable rapid-response jet boat.
“With conditions against him, the foilboarder was unable to return to shore and was being swept further out to sea.
“Within 10 minutes of getting on the water, the volunteer crew on board Ballina 21 located the foilboarder approximately one kilometre east of the north wall. Members from Surf Life Saving NSW arrived on the scene simultaneously in an IRB and retrieved the man from the water before transferring him to the Marine Rescue NSW jet boat.
“The IRB requested the Marine Rescue NSW crew return the man to shore because conditions on the bar were too dangerous for their vessel.
“The man was extremely lucky. The conditions were quite challenging, and the Marine Rescue NSW jet boat was the ideal vessel for the mission.
“The foilboarder was taken on board Ballina 21 and returned to Shaws Bay. He was uninjured,” Inspector Murray said.
Marine Rescue NSW is a volunteer-based, not-for-profit professional organisation dedicated to keeping boaters safe on the water and supporting local communities.
