Vessel destroyed by fire and sinks at Wyee Bay on Lake Macquarie

Newy 87.8 FM – A vessel has been destroyed by fire and sunk at Wyee Bay on Lake Macquarie overnight, with the lone person on board swimming to shore.

Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie volunteers assisted a multi-agency response to the fire, deploying a crew on board Marine Rescue NSW vessel Lake Macquarie 30.

Lake Macquarie 30 travelled to the Mannering Park boat ramp to collect four Fire and Rescue NSW firefighters and their hazardous materials equipment before transporting them to the burning vessel.

The firefighters worked from on board Lake Macquarie 30, but the vessel could not be saved, Inspector Shirriff said.

"Thankfully, the lone person on board was able to swim to shore, but the vessel was destroyed by fire and subsequently sank in approximately 4.5 metres of water," Inspector Shirriff said.

Marine Rescue Lake Macquarie radio operators are broadcasting safety messages to advise boaters of the hazard and urge them to keep clear of the area.

The Lake Macquarie 30 crew returned the firefighters to the Mannering Park boat ramp before returning to base just before 1am.

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