WA water police rescue four people and esky after boat sinks off Garden Island

WA Police have carried out a dramatic rescue of four people — and their bait esky — after their boat sank off Garden Island.

Water police were notified of a “civilian vessel in distress” — which was taking on water and sinking — about 300m off Garden Island about 7.25am on Sunday.

Both the water police and Rockingham marine rescue rushed to the area.

When they arrived, about 10 to 15 minutes later, it was confirmed the boat had sunk, with its bow just visible above the water line.

The vessel’s four occupants were all in the ocean.

Footage of the rescue shows two people, who were both wearing life jackets, being pulled onto the rescue boat to safety.

“We’ve got two onboard and we’re enroute, within a few seconds, to get the other two,” an officer is heard saying over the radio.

The two other people — who were found clinging to a green esky — were rescued a short time later, along with the ice chest.

“The other esky has got beers in it, that one’s just ice and bloody bait,” one of the men can be heard saying in body-worn footage.

Rockingham marine rescue towed the sunken vessel back to shore.

“None of the four rescued people were seriously injured and it is believed they had spent about half an hour in the water,” police said