{"id":115071,"date":"2026-05-05T14:36:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-05T04:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/lismoretimes\/news\/the-darkest-night-marine-rescue-nsw-commissioner-pays-tribute-to-ballina-victims\/"},"modified":"2026-05-05T14:54:54","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T04:54:54","slug":"the-darkest-night-marine-rescue-nsw-commissioner-pays-tribute-to-ballina-victims","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/lismoretimes\/news\/the-darkest-night-marine-rescue-nsw-commissioner-pays-tribute-to-ballina-victims\/","title":{"rendered":"“The darkest night.” Marine Rescue NSW commissioner pays tribute to Ballina victims"},"content":{"rendered":"

Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Todd Andrews has paid tribute after two volunteers died when their vessel capsized responding to a distressed yacht off the Ballina Bar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The yacht\u2019s occupant has also been confirmed dead, with police locating his body on the sand near South Ballina on Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n

Emergency services were called about 6.15pm on Monday after reports a yacht was in difficulty off the break wall.<\/p>\n

Police said the alert was raised by a member of the public who saw the vessel in trouble, with no distress call received and no emergency beacon activated.<\/p>\n

A Marine Rescue NSW crew launched from Ballina to assist, but their vessel rolled while crossing the bar in heavy seas.<\/p>\n

NSW Police Marine Area Command Superintendent Joe McNulty said the crew encountered challenging conditions at the bar, with a strong swell making the crossing difficult.<\/p>\n

The two volunteers, aged 78 and 62, died during the response, while four other crew members made it to shore with non life threatening injuries.<\/p>\n

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The community have left flowers in memory of the two Marine Rescue NSW volunteers who were killed when their boat capsized. Photo: Mitchell Craig.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Superintendent McNulty said some crew members were thrown from the vessel when it capsized, while others were trapped inside before being rescued.<\/p>\n

Police believe the man from the yacht, aged in his 50s, was the only person on board at the time.<\/p>\n

The vessel is believed to have sunk, with specialist police expected to examine the site as part of the ongoing investigation.<\/p>\n

Commissioner Todd Andrews said the devastating loss is a solemn reminder of the risks faced by volunteers who serve their communities.<\/p>\n

“Last night was a tragic night for Marine Rescue New South Wales,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\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

\u201cThey launched with a single mission to save lives on the water and assisted a yacht in distress.<\/p>\n

\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

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