The New South Wales Police Force announced that the owner of the recently abandoned yacht, the FireFly is safe and sound. The man apparently heard reports of the search for him in the media and reported his safety to the Newcastle Police Station.
The Ghost Yacht FireFly
An 8 metre yacht was discovered floating in shallow water at the popular nudist beach Samurai Beach, Port Stephens in Australia. The man who came across the vessel went on board and didn’t find anybody, after which he took the yacht out and put it to anchor. The Marine Area Command and the Marine Rescue were notified and eventually the New South Wales police were also alerted.
The Search
Police enquiries led to speculation that a middle aged Tasmanian man was residing on the yacht and a large scale search for him was launched. Officers from the Marine Area Command and the Water Police worked with the Volunteer Marine Rescue, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, the Surf Lifesaving Club and the local police to conduct the search. The team covered a large land area and many nautical miles off the beach throughout the day, but eventually had to suspend their efforts. It was planned that officers and volunteers would start a recovery search the following day.
Fearing the Worst
A spokesperson for the New South Wales Police Force said that it was unlikely that a man of his age would survive the treacherous conditions of the water. The authorities feared that he may have fallen overboard and drowned. The multi-agency search was called off that evening and the man’s relatives in Western Australia were informed that his survival was unlikely. The very next day he arrived at Newcastle Police Station to announce his safety.
Despite the apparent safety of the man, the Marine Area Command is continuing to investigate circustances around the FireFly being abandoned without being anchored.
