Abandoned Yacht Found Off Port Stephens Beach
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
A yacht with no one on board has been discovered in the ocean in Port Stephens in the Hunter, prompting fears a person may have fallen overboard, as per a report in SMH.
The eight-metre yacht was spotted on Tuesday night drifting off Samurai Beach in the Hunter region, 205 kilometers north of Sydney.
Police on Wednesday launched a large-scale search for a 48-year-old man from Tasmania who was believed to have been living on the yacht, named FireFly.
Just after 6pm, police announced the search will be suspended until 8am on Thursday, but 'due to the conditions of the water, it is unlikely the man was able to survive'.
Stephen Leahy, CEO at Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopters, said it appears the man was living on the yacht and "there is a suggestion that he may have fallen overboard".
Detectives are continuing with inquiries regarding the boat. Officers from Marine Area Command are continuing with investigations.