MARINE Rescue NSW crews at Trial Bay have guided a yacht back to safety after a marathon rescue operation overnight.
The 10 metre yacht with a lone sailor and his dog on board fell into trouble on Wednesday afternoon, 25 nautical miles off South West Rocks.
The sailor activated his Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) at about 2.15pm after the yacht's engine overheated and seized, a Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson said.
The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was tasked by New South Wales Ambulance after the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) had detected an EPIRB activation.
The helicopter was able to find the yacht with a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Wedgetail aircraft and AMSA Challenger jet.
Contact was made via radio and the helicopter stayed overhead until the Marine Rescue NSW Trial Bay boat arrived to take the yacht under tow back to Trial Bay.
The crew of Trial Bay 30 reached the yacht in fading light, returning it to an emergency mooring in sheltered waters by 9.45pm.
The sailor elected to stay on board overnight before the yacht was towed over the bar into the Macleay River in daylight this morning.
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