Northern Territory Water Police were called to coordinate a sea rescue this morning.

At 5:30am the Rescue Coordination Centre (RCC) in Canberra detected an EPIRB activation west of the Peron Islands.

“The registered EPIRB provided immediate and valuable information about the owner and the vessel it was linked to,” Water Police Sergeant Andrew Hocking said.

“The RCC immediately commenced a rescue operation assisted by the NT Water Police. An aircraft was tasked to fly over the area and check the location. A short time later, RCC tasked a commercial barge which was passing by only six nautical miles away to attend the site.

On arrival, the barge located a 28-year-old Victorian man sitting on the upturned hull of his six-metre vessel. 

“The man had been fishing when his vessel began to take on water, and capsized quickly,” Sgt Hocking said. “The man is safe and well and is currently returning to Darwin on the barge.

“As it happens, the vessel ‘Bhagwan Shaker’ that rescued the man, was on the return leg of a trip to Wadeye community where it had rescued another vessel only two days ago.”

The damaged vessel will be recovered later.

“Water Police would again like to remind people of the importance of carrying appropriate safety equipment,” Sgt Hocking said.