Body found during search for woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury

The Advertiser

6 days ago

A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found.
Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday.
Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface.
A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing.
It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday.
VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier.
The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded.
While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman.
Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday.
"Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said.
Police have been working with the Chinese consulate.
Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search.
VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede.
"We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said.
Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search.
A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found.
Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday.
Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface.
A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing.
It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday.
VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier.
The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded.
While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman.
Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday.
"Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said.
Police have been working with the Chinese consulate.
Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search.
VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede.
"We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said.
Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search.
A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found.
Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday.
Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface.
A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing.
It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday.
VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier.
The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded.
While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman.
Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday.
"Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said.
Police have been working with the Chinese consulate.
Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search.
VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede.
"We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said.
Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search.
A body believed to be that of a woman missing in floodwaters at Rothbury has been found.
Emergency services spent more than three days searching Black Creek after a car became stuck in floodwater on Old North Road just before 8pm on Saturday.
Police were told a Mini Countryman tried to drive through floodwater before it became stuck. The driver, a 27-year-old woman, was rescued. However, her passenger, a 26-year-old Chinese national who was working as an engineer in western Sydney, did not surface.
A large-scale search for the woman has taken place each day since she went missing.
It involved local police, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, Marine Area Command, NSW State Emergency Service (SES), the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA), and the Rural Fire Service. Police divers joined the search on Monday.
VRA crews discovered the body about 11am yesterday, about 450 metres from where the car was swept off the causeway. The search had resumed an hour earlier.
The waterlogged wrecks of the Mini Countryman, and a second car that was washed off the same causeway before the driver was rescued clinging to a tree, became visible in the creek as waters receded.
While the body is yet to be formally identified, it is believed to be that of the missing woman.
Cessnock police Inspector Justin Cornes said forensic police and detectives were at the scene yesterday.
"Our thoughts go out to the family of the missing 26-year-old for what has been, and will continue to be, an extremely difficult time for them," he said.
Police have been working with the Chinese consulate.
Inspector Cornes thanked everyone who had been involved in the search, which he said had been "an extremely difficult operation under difficult circumstances". Searchers battled horrendous weather and low visibility in the first days of the search.
VRA Cessnock captain Paul Hampton said the waters reached six metres above the causeway at their peak. He said crews were able to find the body after waters began to recede.
"We were involved from the initial search and we're pleased we could find her and provide closure to her family," he said.
Mr Hampton said counselling and support would be made available to those involved in the search.