A man has been found clinging to a marine beacon in waters off Caloundra on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast after his boat ran aground.
Emergency services were alerted to a 13-metre yacht that had run aground on a sand bar, between the northern tip of Bribie Island and Caloundra shortly after 4:00pm on Tuesday.
Lifeguards on a nearby beach also noticed the vessel washed up in shallow waters, sparking an extensive air and sea search in nearby waterways.
A dog was found on board the vessel, which had its motor still running, but no people were located inside.
The man, who had been reported missing earlier in the day, was later found some 8 kilometres from his boat clinging to a marine beacon in the ocean at 7:00pm.
The Caloundra Coastguard said the man had fallen several metres from his vessel while trying to secure something on the boat.
He later swam to a beacon, climbed up a ladder and waved to a nearby ship for help.
A Queensland police spokesperson said the man had gone “overboard and swam to a marine beacon before flagging down a boat”.
Police say the man has not suffered any significant injuries.
