Latest news with #AshleyMcKellar
ABC News
14-05-2025
- ABC News
Missing Newcastle boatie Ashley McKellar had plan to swim with whales, inquest hears
A coroner has found a missing New South Wales boatie may have tried to swim with whales before he disappeared. Bolton Point man Ashley McKellar, 43, left Swansea Heads alone in his 4.8-metre runabout on June 14, 2023. The aluminium boat was found 20 nautical miles offshore more than 16 hours after he was reported missing. An inquest into his disappearance was held today before Deputy State Coroner Rebecca Hosking. Police advocate Danny Winter assisted the coroner and told the court Mr McKellar was a strong swimmer. "He would scuba dive, snorkel and free-dive and loved the water," Mr Winter said. Mr McKellar headed out onto the ocean early in the day ahead of a work meeting that afternoon. The inquest heard he did not attend the meeting or return calls from his wife. Mr McKellar was reported missing at about 7pm that night. Mr Winter told the court there had been no EPIRB activation and an air, water and land search commenced the next day. He said the operation involved PolAir, Marine Area Command, Marine Rescue, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) and the region's rescue helicopter. "At 10:50 [in the morning] a sergeant received information that a commercial ship located a small, white, unmanned vessel," Mr Winter said. No one was onboard and Mr McKellar's clothes were found folded alongside his life jacket. His phone was nearby and the battery was flat. "There was no onboard GPS, no fish finder," Mr Winter said. Mr Winter said Mr McKellar might have jumped into the ocean to swim with whales. "He told his wife if a whale was located he was prepared to get into the water to swim with it," Mr Winter said. According to the National Parks and Wildlife Service, whales migrate north along the NSW coast during May and June each year. Under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Regulation 2017 all watercraft, including boats, surfboards, surf skis and kayaks must maintain a minimum distance of 100 metres from a whale and at least 300m if a calf is present. Restrictions also apply to swimmers, snorkellers, and divers. The inquest was told Mr McKellar spent a lot of time at Moon Island off Swansea, where whale sightings were common, and was headed there that day. "Whale migration had been strong in the area and it was a popular spot in viewing for Mr McKellar," Mr Winter said. Magistrate Hosking highlighted that evidence in her findings. "In 2019 he expressed [to his wife] he was going to jump in and swim if they saw whales in the water again," she said. Magistrate Hosking also noted that a rope trailing from the boat's propeller could have caused problems. "On the available evidence it appears likely that between 10:46am and 2pm he turned the boat's engine to the 'off' position, took off his life jacket and outer layer of clothes and voluntarily entered the water," she said. Magistrate Hosking said there was no evidence relating to what happened next. "As such I am unable to make a finding in relation to manner of death," she said. Magistrate Hosking recommended that "the investigation into the death of Ashley McKellar be referred back to police for monitoring". Earlier Mr McKellar's wife quietly wiped away tears as Magistrate Hosking offered her condolences to the family.
The Advertiser
12-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Inquest to explore mystery of what happened to missing boatie Ashley McKellar
A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking. A CORONIAL inquest on Wednesday will attempt to provide answers to the mystery disappearance of Ashley McKellar, an experienced boatie who vanished without a trace after heading out of Swansea Heads on a clear day nearly two years ago. Mr McKellar, 43, a popular member of the Lake Macquarie sailing community, an engineer and a master instructor and fourth degree black belt in karate, was last seen at Bolton Point about 8.30am on June 14, 2023. Police believe Mr McKellar launched his boat, a Telewater 4.8 metre aluminium runabout, from the lake access at Bolton Point about 10.30am that day. But by about 6.30pm, when he could not be contacted or located, his family raised the alarm. Authorities launched a multi-agency search, including helicopter crews, water police, five Marine Rescue vessels and surf lifesavers and spent the following days scouring the coastline from Anna Bay to Norah Head. Conditions were reportedly clear with light winds and half-metre seas and an Australian Maritime Safety Authority aircraft dropped datum marker buoys to assist with drift modelling to determine the search area. However, the day after Mr McKellar was reported missing, his boat was found abandoned 20 nautical miles offshore. He is suspected to have drowned. But a coronial inquest in NSW State Coroner's Court on Wednesday will focus on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, whether he could still be alive and, if not, whether a manner of death can be determined. Hunter Valley Martial Arts Centre at Warners Bay said in an online memorial that Mr McKellar had travelled extensively, including multiple times to Japan to study. "Shihan Ashley McKellar, a fourth degree black belt, has trained in Chitokai karate since his early teen years," the memorial reads. "He has travelled the world studying martial arts, spending a year at a Shaolin temple, training in Capoeira in Brazil and Tai Chi in Ireland. "Shihan Ash was lost at sea in 2023. "We will always remember his dedication, integrity, humility, and generosity. "His contributions to Ryusei Chitokai Karate live on in our memories of him." Scott Ellis, an old friend, described Mr McKellar as an "absolutely amazing person" who was "always smiling and full of life and energy" and recounted how the Bolton Point man had once spent six months in a martial arts monastery in order to get out of his comfort zone. The coronial inquest is listed for a one-day hearing before Deputy State Corner Magistrate Rebecca Hosking.
