A BOATER has been rescued from a lake during an overnight multi-agency mission.
Marine Rescue NSW volunteers at Lake Macquarie were alerted by a concerned friend just before 7.30pm on Friday that a boater had stopped responding to texts and calls.
Marine Rescue NSW Inspector Courtney Greenslade said crews on board the Tuggerah Lakes 20 and 21 were deployed to search Tuggerah Lake.
The first boat hit the water within the hour and the second joined about 10pm when the boater had not yet been found and worries heightened.
"With a lack of natural moonlight, both crews initiated their [infrared systems] to scan the water's surface," Inspector Greenslade said.
A member of the public called emergency services about 12.30am to report a "tapping noise" they could hear coming from the lake, west of the Two Shores Holiday Village.
NSW Police aircraft team - PolAir - backed Marine Rescue NSW crews from the air and the boater was located in their vessel.
The boater was rescued by the on-water Marine Rescue NSW crews and returned to shore safely.
The rescue mission wrapped up just before 2am on Saturday.
