Nowra, NSW: Emergency response after distress signal sent from yacht with two people on board off NSW south coast

A large-scale emergency operation is underway after two people on a yacht send out a distress signal.

The pair on the 19-metre yacht, which is located about 185km east of Nowra on the New South Wales south coast, made emergency contact at 12.40pm on Monday.

Officials from the Marine Area Command and the Australian Defence Force were informed by the Joint Rescue Co-ordination Centre that the passengers had activated a distress signal.

The yacht is probably taking on water due to a mechanical problem.

There are no reports of injuries.

A spokesperson for NSW Ambulance told Daily Mail Australia that teams are en route to assist the yacht.

“We sent two of our helicopter teams. They made contact initially but had to turn back due to lack of fuel,” he said.

There is also a RAAF C130 aircraft which departed later and made contact with the yacht at 16:30.

‘The Royal Australian Navy ships, the Arunta and the Canberra, are also en route to the scene of the accident.’

HMAS Arunta is expected to reach the yacht around 18:00 on Monday evening.