Surfers saved from capsized boat

A distress beacon is being credited for saving the lives of seven surfers.

The group was returning from a trip to Lady Elliot Island late Saturday afternoon when their boat capsized in rough seas.

They raised the alarm and clung to the vessel off the Bundaberg Coast until help arrived.

A rescue helicopter sent down a life raft and kept watch overhead while water crews responded.

Volunteer Marine Rescue Bundaberg arrived to find the group all with life jackets on and loaded them into their vessel.

The surfers had spent about four hours in the water and nobody was injured.

A charter vessel recovered some of their surfboards the following morning.