Men rescued in nick of time from crocodile-infested waters off Broome

Christmas has come early for two men who miraculously avoided tragedy at a popular fishing spot 20km east of Broome after their boat sank on Saturday afternoon.

The pair were stuck chest-deep in mud at popular fishing spot Crab Creek, battling severe exhaustion, a setting sun and a 9.8m outgoing tide before they were saved by a swift and decisive joint rescue operation.

After their dinghy capsized, the men tried swimming back to shore towards the Crab Creek boat ramp, where members of the public had relayed their desperate survival attempt at 4.40pm to Broome Police, who later posted vision of the pair's dramatic rescue from the croc-infested waters.

With rescue vessels unavailable for at least two hours due to the tide and mud, and sunlight quickly fading, Broome Police requested urgent air support from the Police Air Wing, who recognised the urgency and sent a local commercial rescue chopper operated by HNZ to retrieve the duo 1km off shore at 5.48pm.

By 6pm the crew had winched the two men to safety and flew them to Broome Airport, where St John Ambulance officers attending the pair, who were now recovering with no serious injuries.

WA Police said the men were extremely lucky to be rescued, and so quickly.

“With sunlight fading there was only a small window of opportunity to use the commercial rescue helicopter for a winching operation," a WA Police spokesperson said.

"Fortunately the helicopter crew were able to deploy rapidly and rescue the men.

"Had that helicopter not been available it would have been a much more prolonged rescue operation.

"With the hazards in place - mud and crocodiles - there were many potential outcomes."