Swamped trio cling to upturned boat
A woman and two men thrown into the water when their dinghy was flipped by a wave off Jurien Bay managed to cling to the upturned boat as the wind pushed them into shore.
They were about 500m from shore when they struck trouble while fishing and checking craypots this morning.
They were all thrown in the water when a large wave lifted the bow and overturned the 5m boat about 10am.
Sergeant Mark Cannon, of Jurien Bay police, said they were able to climb onto the overturned boat and it was pushed into shore.
When the trio reached land they tried to set off flares but strong wind gusts dissipated the smoke too quickly.
One man, in his seventies, decided to walk back towards town, about 6km south, while the other two, both in their thirties, stayed with the stricken boat.
They were able to raise the alarm about 11am when their emergency beacon also washed up.
Water Police and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority launched planes and boats after receiving the beacon signal.
Local marine rescue volunteers spotted the boat on the beach but could not see any people. But a PC9 Orion aircraft crew spotted two people near the boat and directed Fisheries Department officers on quad bikes to them.
Sgt Cannon said the fisheries officers first located the man in his seventies as he walked along the beach towards town.
They brought him back to Jurien Bay before heading back to collect the other two.
The elder man as treated for a cut leg and the woman was treated for a cut foot.
