Volunteer rescuers attacked by youth gang

MEMBERS of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard base at Shellharbour have been angered in recent weeks by what they call a series of mindless acts of vandalism.

In the first instance, volunteers arrived at the base on the morning of December 6 to find the base covered in graffiti not an entirely unusual occurrence according to the Coast Guards Publicity Officer, Peter Keft.

We at the Coast Guard are all volunteers who do our best to educate the public in safe boating along with carrying out search & rescue operations of any person, persons or vessel that may be lost or in trouble at sea, Mr Keft said.

To some members of the community, this is how they show their respect through causing damage to the base and smashing our vital radio aerials.

The second incident occurred late on Sunday afternoon after the base was closed for the day.

According to eyewitnesses, a gang of up to 12 youths broke into the storage box on top of the winch house where the Coast Guard keep their tender vessel. This boat is used to access the search and rescue vessel which is moored in the middle of the harbour.

Eyewitnesses say the youths used the tender as a toboggan to slide down the boat ramp many times, resulting in damage to the bottom of the boat. They then took the boat into the harbour and out through the entrance in very rough sea conditions with a strong northeaster blowing.

As a result, they apparently ended up on the rocks near the swimming pool, slicing a hole in bow.

If a westerly had been blowing they would of been blown out to sea, said Mr Keft.

Without the tender, we would have had difficulty in getting out to our search and rescue boat, and their lives could have been seriously at risk.

One oar is missing and the other is broken and the other damage to the boat, which cost us more than $3000, is irreparable.

Mr Keft said that a member of the public called the police, who arrived in time to apprehend six of the youths.

It is so frustrating to see this mindless damage done to our base and equipment, he said.

Our funds are extremely limited and we simply cant afford to have to keep on repairing or replacing our equipment.

What these young people perhaps dont realise is that their actions are putting other peoples lives at risk by damaging the very equipment we need to help save lives.

Id like to thank the public for acting and contacting the police and the police for their quick and timely response.