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12 yachts capsize off Esperance coast during severe thunderstorm

Kalgoorlie Miner
Esperance coastline.
Camera IconEsperance coastline. Credit: Esperance VMR

There were frantic scenes off the Esperance coastline yesterday afternoon with emergency services scrambling to rescue the crews of 12 yachts after they were capsized during a severe thunderstorm.

WA Police said at about 4pm police received a call from a member of the public telling them he had seen a boat capsize about 50-100m from the coast at Esperance Bay.

Volunteers from Department of Fire and Rescue and Service Marine Rescue Esperance were deployed to the area with officers at from Esperance police dispatched to the shoreline.

St John Ambulance were also on standby.

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Police said as the response to the first yacht was unfolding, another 11 yachts capsized in the area.

The yachts were taking part in a race involving a total of 24 yachts and three support vessels.

The crews of all 12 capsized yachts were rescued from the water by Marine Rescue Esperance and other support vessels, and 10 of the yachts were towed to shore.

The remaining two were unable to be immediately recovered – one became stuck on a nearby fuel jetty, and the other drifted further away.

Efforts to recover the two outstanding yachts are ongoing.

Police said despite challenging conditions pushing the other yachts out to sea, the remaining vessels were able to make it safely back to shore.

No one was seriously injured during the incident.

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