Media Release

Aerial search for Father, Son, Gulf of Carpentaria

Australian Search and Rescue is coordinating an aerial search for a 36 year old man and a 10 year old boy who failed to return to their mother ship after checking shark nets in a five metre aluminium dinghy yesterday.

The father and son were checking the nets at a location 250 kms south-south-west of Weipa in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The nets were about three nautical miles (5.5 kms) off the coast.

They departed their mother ship at 6am yesterday and were reported overdue to the Queensland Police at 6.20pm yesterday. They were expected to return to the mother ship by about noon.

The police asked AusSAR to coordinate an aerial search and six fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter have been searching an 1100 square nautical mile region since this morning.

Australian Missionaries declare emergency in Coral Sea

A group of missionaries sailing from Gladstone, Queensland to Espiritu Santo near Vanuatu have declared a mayday after the engine on their motor-sailing boat broke down in the Coral Sea about 1480 kms north-east of Brisbane.

The group, which includes three men, a woman and a child, called for help at 12.30pm today. They are in the direct path of Cyclone Gina and the weather in the area is deteriorating rapidly.

The missionaries are not confident they can operate the vessel under sail to avoid Cyclone Gina.

The merchant ship Daio Copihue, a 47,000 tonne woodchip carrier has responded to a call for assistance from AusSAR and is expected to arrive at the disabled boat at around 2am (AEST) tomorrow morning.

Further information:

Ben Mitchell AMSA PR 0418 487 794

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