Yacht tragedy leaves three dead and two injured

Three people have died and a further two have been rushed to hospital after a yacht sank north of Sydney, Australia this morning.

At around 10am Australian time, a catamaran with five people on board capsized 13km from Stockton Beach, Newcastle.

Emergency services rescued a 40-year-old man and a 16-year-old girl who were found clinging to the sinking yacht. The two passengers were winched to safety and taken to hospital to receive treatment for hypothermia.

Three adults were found dead in the water at the scene.

The cause of the tragedy is not yet known, but police said conditions in the ocean were “messy”, with high seas and strong 30-knot winds.

In a press conference at 2:30pm, Superintendent Grant Healey, of NSW Police, said, “At the moment, we haven’t had an opportunity to speak to all the people involved and we haven’t been able to find everybody’s next of kin.”

According to the officer the two survivors’ life jackets helped to save their lives.

The five sailors have not yet been identified.