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ABC News
ABC News
National

Three men rescued by volunteers off Jurien Bay, WA after yacht capsizes in severe weather

Jurien Bay Marine Rescue volunteers saved three people at sea after their yacht capsized.  (Supplied: Facebook, WA Police Mid West Gascoyne)

Three men have been rescued off Jurien Bay after their yacht capsized overnight during severe weather eight miles out to sea.  

Jurien Bay Marine Rescue commander Chrissy Heu said the alarm was raised by a 1.30am phone call from Water Police to say an emergency position indicating radio beacon, EPIRB, had been activated north west of the area.

"We went out in atrocious conditions, over 4 metre swell and 20 knot winds and we successfully recovered three people," she said. 

WA Police said the 11.5 metre boat had run out of fuel, capsized and then righted itself. 

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority's rescue aircraft, based in Perth, located the vessel and a life raft nearby about 3am.

Ms Heu said when rescuers arrived, one person was still on the capsized yacht, while two others were in the life raft, one wearing a life jacket. 

The men were rescued after they struck huge swells off Jurien Bay. (ABC News: West Matteussen)

Ms Heu said after returning to shore, the three men were taken by ambulance to the local medical centre with suspected hypothermia.  

She praised the efforts of rescue skipper Mike Cockburn in a very difficult rescue. 

Ms Heu said the yacht was unable to be secured, and she expected it would drift north.

She pleaded with people to check the weather before heading out to sea, and to carry adequate life jackets.

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