Five people rescued, three hospitalized when boat capsized on Lake Eildon

Two people who clung to a tree for more than an hour are among five people rescued when their boat capsized in the middle of a lake in east Victoria.

Eight people were on board the speedboat when it was struck by a large wave and filled with water on Lake Eildon just before 7 p.m. Thursday.

The group — two teenagers and six people in their 20s — were heading to a nearby houseboat.

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Three people managed to swim ashore, where they sounded the alarm, while three others swam to an island and two held on to a tree in the water.

The five people remained stranded for more than an hour before emergency services were able to reach them by both air and water.

All eight people were examined at the scene by paramedics, three people were taken to hospital in stable conditions.

A man believed to be in his 20s has been treated for hypothermia and flown to Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Freezing weather conditions were a problem during the rescue as the 10C temperature felt more like 2C, Water Police Inspector James Dalton said.

“I have to admit, when I got the call at home … it sounded like there was going to be a terrible outcome when eight people go in the water in these conditions,” Dalton said.

“You are very lucky.

“They obviously weren’t looking at the weather report, they weren’t wearing life jackets when they went in the water.”

The skipper is currently assisting the police in their investigation.