Tragedy off Ballina coast as yacht sinks and rescue vessel capsizes leaving three dead as search continues

By ASHLEY NICKEL, NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 15:50, 4 May 2026 | Updated: 15:50, 4 May 2026 Three people have died and four others made it shore after two boats encountered wild conditions off the coast of Ballina in northern NSW. Emergency crews were called about 6.15pm on Monday evening when a member of the public spotted a yacht in trouble at the South Ballina break wall. A Marine Rescue NSW boat responded but rolled while crossing the Ballina Bar in rough seas.  'Three people are confirmed deceased, while four made it to shore,' a NSW Police spokesperson said. 'It's unknown how many people were on the yacht. It's believed the yacht has now sunk.' Paramedics have treated the four injured who are expected to recover. An AMSA Challenger jet was circling the area late on Monday night. The search is expected to continue on Tuesday with assistance from the Westpac Rescue Helicopter from Lismore. The notorious Ballina break water (pictured) where the two boats got into trouble Another boat sunk at the Ballina break water in January this year, which is notorious for shifting sands, strong tidal flows and large ocean swells.  'The entrance to the Richmond River at Ballina has long carried a reputation as one of the most dangerous river bars on the Australian coast,' Marine Rescue NSW wrote in March. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.