Eleven Indonesian fishermen have survived six days without food and water on a remote reef off Western Australia's northern coast, but nine others are feared dead after a record-breaking cyclone raged through the area.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has confirmed a group of fishermen was rescued about 3pm Monday from Bedwell Island in the Rowley Shoals, 313 kilometres west of Broome, after their vessel was shipwrecked during Cyclone Ilsa.
AMSA diverted a rescue aircraft to investigate and tasked a rescue helicopter to fly the fishers to Broome after a Border Force surveillance flight noticed people in distress.
According to an AMSA spokesperson, survivors said there had been two fishing vessels with 10 crew each, but one vessel had sunk in the cyclone's extreme conditions.
The remaining vessel managed to rescue the only survivor before washing ashore on Bedwell Island, where they remained stranded for six days before being rescued.
There are unconfirmed reports that the sole survivor from the sunken vessel swam for 30 hours, using a jerry can to stay afloat.
The Rowley Shoals were struck by 235 kilometre per hour winds on Thursday, April 13, when Cyclone Ilsa passed through.
A spokesperson for the WA Country Health Service confirmed the fishermen were treated at Broome Hospital.
"Indonesian nationals were brought to Broome late last night and early this morning to Broome Hospital," they said.
"They've been treated and discharged."
An Australian Border Force spokesperson said the individuals were "all reported to be in good health despite their ordeal", with authorities now working to "repatriate the group as soon as practical".
The safety of illegal fishers has been an ongoing issue off the Kimberley coast, with nine fishermen feared drowned in an incident in the Ashmore Reef last year.
