{"id":114970,"date":"2026-05-05T21:02:57","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T11:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/?p=114970"},"modified":"2026-05-06T15:58:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T05:58:52","slug":"volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/","title":{"rendered":"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Todd Andrews has named the two volunteers killed in the Ballina Bar tragedy, describing it as the darkest night in the organisation\u2019s history.<\/p>\n<p>Bill Ewen, 78, and Frank Petsch, 62, died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar, with the yacht\u2019s occupant also confirmed dead.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1644282163462489%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0\" width=\"267\" height=\"476\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Flowers and tributes have been laid at the Ballina Marine Rescue tower, where members of the community, Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader and Page MP Kevin Hogan have paid their respects.<\/p>\n<p>Emergency services were called about 6.15pm on Monday after a yacht was reported in trouble near the South Ballina break wall, with a Marine Rescue NSW crew of six launching to assist after the alarm was raised by a member of the public.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_114985\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-114985\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-114985 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-21-1024x538.png?_t=1778035682\" alt=\"Bill Ewen (left) and Frank Petsch, who died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar. Photo: Marine Rescue NSW.\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-21-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-21-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-21-768x403.png 768w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/Untitled-design-21.png 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-114985\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Bill Ewen (left) and Frank Petsch, who died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar. Photo: Marine Rescue NSW.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The crew were operating a purpose-built Ballina 30 rescue vessel when it capsized while crossing the bar in heavy seas.<\/p>\n<p>NSW Police Marine Area Command Superintendent Joe McNulty said the crew encountered difficult conditions at the river entrance, with a strong swell building at the bar as the tide pushed in.<\/p>\n<p>Some crew members were thrown into the water when the vessel capsized, while others were briefly trapped inside before being rescued.<\/p>\n<p>Captain Geoff Hutchinson was at the helm of the vessel when it capsized and was among the four crew members who survived.<\/p>\n<p>He was taken to hospital with a broken leg and other injuries.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_114977\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-114977\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/byroncoasttimes\/news\/local-captain-named-citizen-of-the-year-for-vital-service-to-marine-rescue\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-114977 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/KA-9-1024x538.jpg?_t=1777979262\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/KA-9-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/KA-9-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/KA-9-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/KA-9.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-114977\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>RELATED NEWS:<a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/byroncoasttimes\/news\/local-captain-named-citizen-of-the-year-for-vital-service-to-marine-rescue\/\"> Local captain named Citizen of the Year for vital service to marine rescue<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The two volunteers died during the response, while four other crew members made it to shore with non-life-threatening injuries.<\/p>\n<p>Police located the body of the yacht\u2019s occupant, a man aged in his 50s, on the sand near South Ballina on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n<p>Ewen was a long-time Marine Rescue NSW volunteer and had previously been recognised with a Commissioner\u2019s Citation for his role in a past rescue.<\/p>\n<p>Petsch was a qualified vessel operator who had also been involved in training volunteer crews along the North Coast.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/video.php?height=476&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1672405180617616%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=267&amp;t=0\" width=\"267\" height=\"476\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The rescue vessel is believed to have sunk, with specialist police expected to examine the site, including a possible dive operation later this week, as part of the ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast night was a tragic night for Marine Rescue New South Wales,\u201d Andrews said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur volunteers answer the call for help on New South Wales waterways 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and last night, six members from Marine Rescue Ballina did just that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey launched with a single mission to save lives on the water and assisted a yacht in distress.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTragically, two of our volunteers lost their lives during the response. They were serving their local community and have made the ultimate sacrifice to help others.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_114978\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-114978\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/the-darkest-night-marine-rescue-nsw-commissioner-pays-tribute-to-ballina-victims\/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRmroZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCZDI4SmdKT043bGJzMUxUc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHu2z4JPeTQAJK5j2a7w5sXJqIlSMLimxS39FiODcJ9VG3rr-wPYPl_r5315p_aem_8tNDriViLN8lKlqq1MD66w\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-114978 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/boatstory_30208-1-1024x538.jpg?_t=1777979323\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/boatstory_30208-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/boatstory_30208-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/boatstory_30208-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/boatstory_30208-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-114978\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/the-darkest-night-marine-rescue-nsw-commissioner-pays-tribute-to-ballina-victims\/?fbclid=IwY2xjawRmroZleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFCZDI4SmdKT043bGJzMUxUc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHu2z4JPeTQAJK5j2a7w5sXJqIlSMLimxS39FiODcJ9VG3rr-wPYPl_r5315p_aem_8tNDriViLN8lKlqq1MD66w\">\u201cThe darkest night.\u201d Marine Rescue NSW commissioner pays tribute to Ballina victims<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Marine Rescue NSW is supporting its volunteers and their families through professional counselling services and chaplaincy support, while assisting NSW Police with their investigation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur thoughts and deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of the deceased, the fellow volunteer crew members, and the brave radio operators who handled the difficult communications during this incident,\u201d Andrews said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe entire Marine Rescue New South Wales family, and the wider Ballina community, are grieving during this incredibly difficult time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLast night was the darkest night ever experienced by Marine Rescue New South Wales, and I ask you all to please respect the privacy of those involved and their families during this difficult time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_115010\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-115010\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/heroes-remembered-tributes-flow-for-marine-rescue-volunteers-after-ballina-bar-tragedy\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-115010 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/DIB_05097-1-1024x538.jpg?_t=1778046907\" alt=\"RELATED NEWS: Heroes remembered: Tributes flow for Marine Rescue volunteers after Ballina Bar tragedy\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/DIB_05097-1-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/DIB_05097-1-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/DIB_05097-1-768x403.jpg 768w, https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/DIB_05097-1.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-115010\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/heroes-remembered-tributes-flow-for-marine-rescue-volunteers-after-ballina-bar-tragedy\/\">Heroes remembered: Tributes flow for Marine Rescue volunteers after Ballina Bar tragedy<\/a><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib also paid tribute to the volunteers, acknowledging the risks faced by emergency crews responding to incidents on the water.<\/p>\n<p>Cadwallader said the loss had been deeply felt across the Ballina community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are all reminded again of the selfless actions of volunteers who put their life in danger to keep us safe,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none; overflow: hidden;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/plugins\/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcherrystreetsports%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02UfHyUTqifX9FHrrFR361ZEHqyzgjwJ7eA6Hz9TB813p1K2g75hGQPPYZLL7nh5bzl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500\" width=\"500\" height=\"730\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>A fundraising campaign has also been launched to support Marine Rescue Ballina, with the Cherry Sports Group committing $25,000 to kickstart the appeal.<\/p>\n<p>The fund aims to help replace the rescue vessel and support the organisation\u2019s ongoing operations following the tragedy.<\/p>\n<p>Donations can be made to Ballina Bowling &amp; Recreation Club Ltd, BSB 032 591, account number 236790, using the reference \u2018Marine Rescue\u2019.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Stay up to date with this story and the latest breaking news.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/subscribe-here\/\">Subscribe FREE<\/a>\u00a0today.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Todd Andrews has named the two volunteers killed in the Ballina Bar tragedy, describing it as the darkest night in the organisation\u2019s history. Bill Ewen, 78, and Frank Petsch, 62, died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar, with the yacht\u2019s occupant also [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":254,"featured_media":114973,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-114970","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Ballina Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png?_t=1778047132\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Staff Writer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Staff Writer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Staff Writer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/65a93d2010f8b8ca5cd82b3cb117506a\"},\"headline\":\"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":806,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/TNNG.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/\",\"name\":\"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/TNNG.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00\",\"description\":\"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/news\\\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/TNNG.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/TNNG.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":630,\"caption\":\"Frank Petsch (left) and Bill Ewen, who died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar. Photo: Marine Rescue NSW.\"},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/\",\"name\":\"Ballina Times\",\"description\":\"Free local news\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Ballina Times\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/BallinaTimes.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/prod\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/31\\\/2024\\\/07\\\/BallinaTimes.png\",\"width\":697,\"height\":98,\"caption\":\"Ballina Times\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/65a93d2010f8b8ca5cd82b3cb117506a\",\"name\":\"Staff Writer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Staff Writer\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\\\/ballinatimes\\\/author\\\/staffwriter\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times","description":"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times","og_description":"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.","og_url":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/","og_site_name":"Ballina Times","article_published_time":"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png?_t=1778047132","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Staff Writer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Staff Writer","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/"},"author":{"name":"Staff Writer","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#\/schema\/person\/65a93d2010f8b8ca5cd82b3cb117506a"},"headline":"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified","datePublished":"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/"},"wordCount":806,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png","articleSection":["News"],"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/","url":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/","name":"Volunteers killed in Ballina Bar rescue identified - Ballina Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png","datePublished":"2026-05-05T11:02:57+00:00","dateModified":"2026-05-06T05:58:52+00:00","description":"Bill Ewen and Frank Petsch have been identified after a fatal rescue mission off the Ballina Bar, where their vessel capsized responding to a yacht in distress.","inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/news\/volunteers-killed-in-ballina-bar-rescue-identified\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2026\/05\/TNNG.png","width":1200,"height":630,"caption":"Frank Petsch (left) and Bill Ewen, who died when their vessel capsized while responding to a yacht in distress off the Ballina Bar. Photo: Marine Rescue NSW."},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/","name":"Ballina Times","description":"Free local news","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#organization","name":"Ballina Times","url":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/07\/BallinaTimes.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/static.timesnewsgroup.com.au\/prod\/uploads\/sites\/31\/2024\/07\/BallinaTimes.png","width":697,"height":98,"caption":"Ballina Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/#\/schema\/person\/65a93d2010f8b8ca5cd82b3cb117506a","name":"Staff Writer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f8141369e4f36c1f36501cdd7a0b2ce97575be91418e5a4f5e160bd32c4a99d5?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Staff Writer"},"url":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/author\/staffwriter\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114970","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/254"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114970"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114970\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114973"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114970"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114970"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114970"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/ballinatimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=114970"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}