Three rescued after sharks attack yacht off Australian coast

Three people on board a catamaran in the Coral Sea off the northeast coast of Australia have been rescued after the hulls of the vessel became damaged from several shark attacks, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said on Wednesday.

Satellite photos and a video on the AMSA website showed a large poart of the stern of the yacht torn away.

"The vessel departed from Vanuatu and was bound for Cairns (Australia) when contact was established. Both hulls of the vessel have been damaged following several shark attacks," the AMSA said in a statement.

Rescue crews responded to an emergency positioning beacon registered to the Tion, a nine-metre inflatable catamaran, early on Wednesday morning. The yacht was located about 835 km southeast of Cairns in the Coral Sea.

AMSA requested the assistance of a Panama-flagged vehicle carrier, which successfully conducted the rescue.

The three passengers - two Russian and one French citizen - are due to arrive in Brisbane on Thursday, AMSA said.