Sailors call for help after several shark attacks damage their boat | USA TODAY

Three people were rescued from the Coral Sea near Australia after shark attacks damaged both hull of their inflatable catamaran.

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Under the cover of night Wednesday, maritime authorities in Australia rescued a sailing party after several shark attacks damaged their sinking catamaran drifting in the Coral Sea, officials said.

An alert from a radio beacon led rescue crews to a 29-foot inflatable catamaran about 1:30 a.m. local time after someone on board the vessel sent a distress signal out, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported.