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A major rescue operation is under way south of Sydney, with a 169-metre bulk carrier being pushed by wild weather towards the cliffs near Wattamolla off the Royal National Park.
Rescue helicopters and aircraft have been deployed to the site and a tugboat is holding the vessel, the Portland Bay, in place about one nautical mile offshore between Wattamolla and Eagle Rock.
The Portland Bay, a Hong Kong registered container ship seen in a file picture, is in danger of running aground off Wattamolla.Credit:Steven Watkins
Another tugboat on the way from Botany Bay will try to bring the cargo vessel under control.
The Hong Kong-registered ship, which is without power, has a crew of 21.
“This morning the NSW Police Force was notified that the vessel had lost power and was drifting towards the cliffs of the Royal National Park,” a police spokesman said.
An earlier attempt to evacuate some of the crew with helicopters was cancelled due to the risk, on advice from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, police said.
A map showing the drift of the stricken cargo ship the Portland Bay off the NSW South Coast on Monday.
A Water Police tugboat from Botany Bay is expected to arrive about 1pm. It will attempt to tow the ship further offshore so it can depart under its own power. One tugboat is thought to be already at the scene.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority said it had an aircraft overhead to provide a communications link with the vessel.