Search for missing Sussex Inlet fisher Geoff Buchanan suspended after empty boat located
A multi-agency search for Mr Buchanan started on Saturday evening after the Sussex Inlet man failed to return to the Batemans Bay marina.
It is believed the 56-year-old was heading towards the continental shelf to catch tuna.
About 1:20pm on Tuesday, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority's (AMSA) aircraft located the boat about 80 nautical with east of Narooma.
No one was on board.
Police said fisherman on board a nearby commercial fishing vessels helped stop the boat in challenging conditions.
The boat, a white, 8-metre Avor motor cruiser, will be towed to shore.
Police said patrols by Marine Area Command would continue in the coming days.
A close friend of Mr Buchanan, and manager of the Batemans Bay d'Albora marina, Mitch Chaffey, said Mr Buchanan was a highly experienced waterman.
"Geoff's been around the water his whole life, very experienced in the water and on the water, fisherman, skin diver, who knows his way around a boat," Mr Chaffey said.
NSW Police Marine Area Command officer Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Brazzill said Mr Buchanan was a diabetic and police had not ruled out the possibility he suffered a medical episode on board.
"The gentleman does have health issues managing diabetes that we're extremely concerned about … we understand he had the medication," Inspector Brazzill said.
The search, which was initially focused between Narooma and Bermagui, was expanded on Monday to between Port Stephens and the Victorian border after unconfirmed sightings of the vessel by the public.
Inspector Brazzill said using drift modelling, the search area was expanded again on Tuesday to cover 9,200 square nautical miles from Port Stephens to Bass Strait.
However, he said there had been a particular focus further out to sea from the south coast of New South Wales on Tuesday.
Mr Chaffey said Mr Buchanan had been planning to fish for tuna near the continental shelf and potentially stop for a dive on the way back on Saturday.
He said Mr Buchanan was meant to be on the boat with his friend that day but the friend could not make it.
"[Mr Buchanan] was very safety conscious," he said.
Police said the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Challenger jet, military aircraft, marine rescue and surf life saving vessels had been involved in the search.
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