Refurbished Australian rescue boat damaged in accident just days before entering service

The vessel had been due to be officially welcomed to the Marine Rescue NSW fleet on Monday, September 7. However, that ceremony has now been postponed indefinitely.

A shipwright and a vessel surveyor have been engaged to assess the damage and determine the vessel’s future.

“This is a heartbreaking setback for our volunteers at Marine Rescue Eden,” said Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Todd Andrews. “Our rescue vessel was caught between the vessel that struck it and the jetty, resulting in a significant impact and causing extensive damage.

"To see it suffer such extensive damage before we could even officially welcome it to our fleet is incredibly disappointing. Thankfully, the most important thing is that nobody was on board and nobody was injured when the collision occurred."