Marine Rescue NSW volunteers carried out 28 search and rescue missions across the Illawarra/Shoalhaven during October, helping return 49 people safely to shore.
New figures released by Marine Rescue NSW show Illawarra crews responded to 11 emergency call-outs among the 28 missions recorded during the month. The operations were spread across the region’s seven units at Port Kembla, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay, Sussex Inlet, Ulladulla and Kioloa.
The busiest locations in the region were Shoalhaven, Jervis Bay and Port Kembla, with each recording six rescue missions during October.
The figures form part of a statewide total of 338 search and rescue missions completed by Marine Rescue NSW volunteers during the month, including 93 emergency responses and the safe return of 671 people to shore.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Todd Andrews said while many boaters had made sensible decisions to stay off the water during periods of poor weather, mechanical breakdowns remained a significant issue. More than half of all missions statewide involved engine or battery failures.
Todd Andrews urged skippers to regularly maintain their vessels and make logging on with Marine Rescue NSW part of their pre-launch routine, alongside carrying emergency beacons and wearing lifejackets.
Across NSW, Greater Sydney was the busiest region with 152 missions, while the Hunter Central Coast recorded 102 missions. Marine Rescue NSW said its 3,400 volunteers continue to support communities through rescue operations, marine radio monitoring and boating safety education.
