Two people dead after boat overturns at Yamba breakwall

TWO people have drowned and another has been taken to hospital after a boat overturned at the Yamba breakwall this morning.

A man and a woman were confirmed dead after they were found in the water, while another man was rescued and treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital.

Surf Life Saving New South Wales State Operations Centre was alerted by New South Wales Police Marine Area Command just after 6.30am that a vessel had overturned at the Yamba Bar with an unknown number of people in the water.

The Yamba emergency call-out team was tasked to the incident, launching an inflatable rescue boat from the local club while a surf lifesaving jet ski was also deployed.

A passing vessel rescued one man from the water. He was conscious and breathing when pulled aboard before being transported to hospital.

The incident comes amid a spate of coastal drownings across New South Wales.

Since July 1 last year, there have been 45 coastal drownings in the state, with about half linked to beach and rip current incidents.

A 76-year-old man also died at Lismore Base Hospital after he was pulled from the water at Lighthouse Beach on Friday, March 6.

“This past fortnight has been catastrophic on our coastline, these are the seventh and eighth drownings in under two weeks,” Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said.

“It follows the double drowning yesterday at Shellharbour on the South Coast as well.

“In under 24 hours our lifesavers and other emergency services have responded to four tragic drownings which have been beach and boating related, which reinforces that whether it be summer or not, the risks remain the same along our coastline.

“Our thoughts and sympathy go out to all the families of the victims.”

Surf lifesavers remind the public to swim between the flags and avoid entering the water during hazardous surf conditions.