Helicopters winched 37 people from a sinking yacht off Australia's northeast coast today after it was washed on to rocks.
Rough seas swept the twin-mast yacht, Romance, on to rocks off Hook Island on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef.
It was deemed too dangerous to rescue the 32 passengers and five crew using boats, so two helicopters were brought in.
A helicopter crewman was lowered to the yacht, lying at a 45-degree angle on rocks and pounded by waves, and tied tether lines from the boat to trees on shore.
But the plan for some passengers to climb along the tether lines to shore was abandoned due to the conditions.
The passengers were flown to nearby Hayman Island after being winched up.
