AUSTRALIA 
Man missing after trawler runs aground
Thursday, 24 July, 2008
A trawler ran aground on the Sunshine Coast.
A deckhand missing from a fishing trawler on Queensland's Sunshine Coast may have fallen overboard some time before it beached, police say.
A search was continuing today for Mark Wray, 32, who disappeared from the wheelhouse of the Miss Melissa which was on its way back to port after a 16-day fishing trip.
It grounded on Mooloolaba beach without warning about 7pm yesterday.
Two crewman asleep below deck made it to safety.
Four helicopters, a police vessel and volunteer boats are searching a 100 square nautical mile area from Mooloolaba to Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for Mr Wray.
Police Sergeant Kyle Bates said the weather was "pretty atrocious" in the search area with five-and-a-half metre waves and 40 knot winds.
Police believe Mr Wray may have disappeared from the trawler sometime before it went aground.
Sgt Bates said there was a gap of about an hour-and-a-half between when the deckhand made a phone call and the trawler beached.
During that time phone calls to the Miss Melissa, including one from Mr Wray's wife, went unanswered.
The trawler's owners will try to salvage the vessel this afternoon.
Sgt Bates said the search would be reassessed this evening.
"In these sort of sea conditions the likelihood of seeing anything is very diminished and the likelihood of surviving is diminished as well," he said.
Mr Wray, an experienced fisherman, was believed to be dressed in only a T-shirt and shorts.
Source: APP
A search was continuing today for Mark Wray, 32, who disappeared from the wheelhouse of the Miss Melissa which was on its way back to port after a 16-day fishing trip.
It grounded on Mooloolaba beach without warning about 7pm yesterday.
Two crewman asleep below deck made it to safety.
Four helicopters, a police vessel and volunteer boats are searching a 100 square nautical mile area from Mooloolaba to Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for Mr Wray.
Police Sergeant Kyle Bates said the weather was "pretty atrocious" in the search area with five-and-a-half metre waves and 40 knot winds.
Police believe Mr Wray may have disappeared from the trawler sometime before it went aground.
Sgt Bates said there was a gap of about an hour-and-a-half between when the deckhand made a phone call and the trawler beached.
During that time phone calls to the Miss Melissa, including one from Mr Wray's wife, went unanswered.
The trawler's owners will try to salvage the vessel this afternoon.
Sgt Bates said the search would be reassessed this evening.
"In these sort of sea conditions the likelihood of seeing anything is very diminished and the likelihood of surviving is diminished as well," he said.
Mr Wray, an experienced fisherman, was believed to be dressed in only a T-shirt and shorts.
Source: APP
