In the first incident on December 25, seven passengers and two dogs had to be airlifted to safety after their 6.2m Seadoo jet-boat sank off Fingal beach about 1pm.

The series of rescue missions has prompted Marine Rescue Port Stephens to issue a timely reminder to all boaters to check the weather conditions and safety equipment on their vessels before launching.

The Port’s unit commander Tony O’Donnell said that the Fingal rescue involved two of its vessels, the Westpac rescue helicopter and a Fingal surf lifesaving team in a rubber duckie.

‘‘We received the call via triple zero that a vessel had run into difficulties, most likely due to engine failure, and had struck rocks,’’ Mr O’Donnell said.

"The passengers managed to reach the relative safety of the land below the lighthouse before being transported by the rescue helicopter to Bill Strong Oval and Fingal beach.

‘‘The one saving grace was that all seven passengers were wearing lifejackets and no injuries were reported.’’

Mr O’Donnell said that on the same afternoon Marine Rescue crew were alerted to two teenagers in a broken down tinnie just off Wreck beach signalling for help.

‘‘Once again it was pleasing that both teens were wearing life jackets, but it appears they had no other safety equipment on board,’’ Mr O’Donnell said.

‘‘The following day [Boxing Day] at about 7pm we received a call for assistance after a 6.8m cruiser with three people on board had lost power and was drifting towards Zenith beach.

‘‘The water police were called out to tow the cruiser back to base.”