Three individuals found themselves in a life-threatening situation when their inflatable catamaran was repeatedly attacked by sharks. The incident took place in the early hours of Wednesday off the northeastern coast of Australia.

The trio consisted of two Russians and one French national, spanning ages from 28 to 63 years old. They were en route from Vanuatu to the city of Cairns when their 9-meter (30-foot) Russian-registered catamaran encountered a series of shark attacks that inflicted substantial damage on its inflatable hulls.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) was alerted to their distress at 1:30 a.m. on that day. In response, AMSA swiftly coordinated a rescue operation that involved enlisting the assistance of the Panama-flagged vehicle carrier, Dugong Ace. This rescue mission unfolded approximately 835 kilometers (520 miles) southeast of Cairns in the treacherous waters of the Coral Sea.