4 days ago
Search area expanded after fisher goes missing from Batemans Bay
A multi-agency search for a missing fisherman has been expanded to include about half of the New South Wales coastline.
Marine Rescue vessels have been deployed between Port Stephens and the Victorian border to search for the man, who departed from Batemans Bay Marina at about 6am on Saturday.
It is believed the 56-year-old was heading towards the continental shelf to catch tuna.
In a statement NSW Police said the search was expanded on Monday afternoon "following unconfirmed sightings of the vessel by members of the public".
Authorities have not verified any sightings of the man and his eight-metre-long Arvor cruiser vessel since the search commenced on Saturday evening.
Marine Rescue Inspector Stuart Massey said up to 30 volunteers had been on the water during some days of the search.
"When they were first out there they were out there till after midnight, then a lot of those crews backed up again the next morning," he said.
"They are determined to get back out there and do their bit, but they've been working incredibly long hours out there."
Inspector Massey said conditions on Monday morning were favourable for crews searching near Narooma and Bermagui.
"There's not a great deal of swell or wind out there … that's making it a little bit more comfortable for the crews," he said.
The search has been led by the NSW Police Marine Area Command alongside Marine Rescue and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA).
Multiple interstate aircraft are also involved, according to AMSA.
Police have not confirmed the identity of the fisherman.
