Five sailors rescued from yacht off NSW

Five sailors have been rescued from a yacht after it ran aground off the NSW Central Coast.

The 30-foot vessel hit a sandbar about 25 metres off Ettalong Beach, in Broken Bay, just after 1pm on Wednesday.

Attempts by water police to tow the vessel off the sandbar failed, while the Westpac Life Saver helicopter was used to winch one of the crew to safety.

Authorities were trying to salvage the yacht.