An afternoon on the water turned into a horrible experience for Australian students on an Outboard Bound cutter after it collided with a dolphin watch catamaran and began sinking.

One student sustained a broken leg. Seven others had moderate injuries.

Other boaters raced to pluck the students from their fast-sinking vessel. All aboard the cutter were wearing life jackets.

A police spokesman said the students, who were paddling near Wedge Point, saw the Dolphin Watch Ecotours boat approaching and tried to alert the skipper they were on a collision course, but it was to no avail. The catamaran rammed into their boat, throwing the students into the water.

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