Two fishermen stranded off the coast of Port Stephens have been returned safely to shore.
Port Stephens rescue received a call around 3 o’clock on Tuesday afternoon that a 7.9-metre cabin cruiser had suffered engine failure more than 30 nautical miles off Port Stephens Heads.
Crews made their way out to the pair stranded on the eastern side of the continental shelf, about 65 kilometres offshore — completing a mammoth almost nine-and-a-half hour journey to tow the boaties.
It was a long and slow haul back — but the two men were brought safely to shore by around 2 o’clock on Wednesday morning.