Sergeant Cary Coolican on Feb 1, 2021 @ 1:58pm
The search for three far northern men continues today after they failed to return from a fishing trip to Cape Tribulation on Australia Day.
The men, aged 18, 27 and 37 were due back in Yarrabah on Tuesday afternoon, after setting out on a 4.8 m white, centre console aluminium vessel with a blue canopy, registration VO317Q.
The trio were last seen around 8.30 am on Tuesday at a reef off Green Island where they appeared to be having engine trouble. They have not been heard from since.
To date the search has taken in an area of around 1700 square nautical miles from Little Fitzroy Island to Cape Tribulation using both air and sea assets from AMSA, Volunteer Marine Rescue, Marine Parks, Fisheries, Nautilus Aviation, additional police teams, local businesses, Yarrabah and wider community members.
Search and Rescue Co-ordinators from Police Vessel Perry Irwin continue to conduct surface and aerial searches today from Port Douglas to Cape Bedford in the north with good weather conditions reported.
Police have identified two fuel tanks, a life jacket and jerry can believed to be from the vessel.
In the event further items are washed up onto beaches north, police are urging those community members to contact your local police station.
Police are providing constant updates to the families and are providing support to the Yarrabah community.
Plans are in place to continue searching again tomorrow (February 2), guided by our expert search and rescue co-ordinators.
Anyone with further information is urged to contact police.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
You can report information about crime anonymously to Crime Stoppers, a registered charity and community volunteer organisation, via crimestoppersqld.com.au 24hrs per day.
