Marine Rescue NSW launches new vessel and conducts Botany Bay rescue

Marine Rescue NSW has commissioned a new $343,915 rescue vessel, the Port Kembla 20, to support maritime safety in the Illawarra region. The 5.5-metre fast-response craft is designed for shallow waters like Lake Illawarra and features a thermal imaging camera for low-visibility searches. The deployment comes as the 2026-27 boating season begins, following a period of high demand for volunteers who completed 303 search and rescue missions in the Illawarra last season.

In a separate incident in Botany Bay, Marine Rescue Botany Port Hacking volunteers rescued six paddlers after two outrigger canoes capsized during a race. Rapidly deteriorating conditions, including a rain squall and increased swell, caused the vessels to overturn off Congwong Bay. One paddler was treated for hypothermia and transported to a hospital, while others were provided with space blankets before being taken to shore.