Boat ripped apart during shark attack as sailors narrowly escape

A boat was ripped apart after sharks attacked a catamaran off the northeastern coast of Australia.

Three people were rescued following the terrifying attack.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) said both the hulls of the vessel, located in the Coral Sea near Cairns, were damaged after several shark attacks.

Satellite images and a video available on the Amsa website showed a substantial portion of the yacht’s stern being ripped apart.

The yacht was located about 835km (519 miles) southeast of Cairns in the Coral Sea when rescue teams responded to the emergency at about 1.30am on Wednesday.