A sailor who fell overboard and vanished off the NSW coast sparking an urgent search has been found alive after swimming more than 8kms to shore.
The crew member fell from the bulk carrier, Double Delight, about 11.30pm on Thursday, which was situated off the Newcastle coast, and swam throughout Thursday night and Friday.
Paramedics were called to Boat Rowers Reserve at Blacksmith Beach in Swansea about 6.30pm Friday to treat a man who had been in the water for 24 hours, a NSW Ambulance spokesperson told Daily Mail .
The man was suffering hypothermia and was transported to John Hunter Hospital.
Earlier on Friday, the n Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) were notified by the Newcastle Harbourmaster at 11.04am Friday that a crew member had gone overboard.
The ship is currently about 8km south east of Newcastle off the coast.
The AMSA had coordinated the search and deployed a Westpac Rescue helicopter from Williamtown and a Defence helicopter from Belmont near Newcastle to scour the water.
Newcastle-based NSW Water Police, Marine Rescue NSW units, and a Port Stephens-based Water Police vessel were also been called in to assist.
The crew member was aboard the Double Delight cargo ship but has not been seen from nearly 24 hours
The n Maritime Safety Authority are co-ordinating the search off the Newcastle coast
A Marine Rescue NSW spokesperson confirmed two vesells with volunteer crew on board are out searching.
‘Right now … they’re still out on the water, they will remain on the water until instructed otherwise by Marine Area Command,’ the spokesperson said.
More to follow.
The crew member hasn’t been seen since late Thursday night after falling from the cargo ship (pictured)
Helicopters have been deployed in the search