Hopes are fading for three fishermen missing off Western Australia’s Pilbara coast amid signs their trawler ran into trouble during the week.
Mason Carter, 26, Chad Fairley, 30, and 57-year-old Murray Turner failed to come back to Point Samson near Karratha on Wednesday morning in their 13-metre-long prawn trawler named the Returner.
An unused life raft, emergency locator beacon, ration supplies and fishing gear washed up along the Burrup Peninsula the next day.
The air, land and sea search has been intensive, including the use of underwater sonar equipment. Ths search was expected to resume at first light on Saturday.
On top of an aerial search, a boat-based search and a land search on Dolphin Island and along the Burrup Peninsula have been conducted.
The fisheries department provided the last available location data from the Vessel Monitoring System, which is usually used to ensure compliance with commercial fishing regulations.
Police said Carter Fairley and Moresby were very fit and good swimmers, but Turner was less capable in the water.
“We’re hoping by the grace of the Lord that they’ve made it to the island,” Fairley’s father Alan told the ABC. “They will be hungry and parched but it’s better than the other option.”
Police said no mayday call was received and locator beacons were not activated.
Australian Associated Press contributed to this report
