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Three men clinging to the hull of a tinnie have been rescued from waters about 200km from mainland Australia overnight.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) sent a rescue aircraft after receiving an emergency distress beacon activation about 3.30pm (AEST) from an unknown source in the north-eastern Torres Strait.
A Challenger aircraft found a 5 metre aluminium upturned boat, with three people clinging to the hull.
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It's understood the men on board had failed to return to the Murray Islands.
The Challenger aircraft dropped a life-raft to the stranded men along with a communications kit, which allowed rescue officers to stay in touch throughout the rescue.
A fishing vessel, Torres Express, was diverted to aid in the rescue, along with police vessel Conroy from Thursday Island.
The Torres Express reached the vessel at approximately 3:30am this morning, and recovered three people from the life raft.
All three people on board didn't suffer any injuries.
