Missing fisherman search continues off Mackay coast

Mackay's fishing community and emergency services are united in a desperate search for a 41-year-old fisherman missing at sea, after a three-man boat capsized far offshore in what should have been a routine fishing trip.

The vessel overturned at Creal Reef, about 150 kilometres from the coast, late Thursday evening when all three crew members activated an emergency position indicating radio beacon. What followed was an intense rescue operation that saved two lives but has left the local community facing an agonising wait for the third.

When rescue personnel finally reached the site after a gruelling five to six-hour voyage through poor visibility, they located one man clinging to the overturned hull. The 44-year-old Grasstree Beach resident was pulled to safety just after dawn on Friday and airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition. Within hours, a second rescue operation located a 43-year-old Bray Park man, who was also transported to hospital for treatment.

But the third member of the crew—a 41-year-old also from Grasstree Beach and understood to be the brother of one of the rescued fishermen—has vanished from the overturned vessel. Despite extensive search efforts, he remains missing. At some point during the rescue operation, authorities believe he became detached from the boat.

The incident has sent shockwaves through Mackay's tight-knit fishing community. These were experienced fishermen who knew the risks and took precautions—the emergency beacon that triggered the swift emergency response saved two lives. Yet even with proper equipment and rapid emergency services intervention, the ocean proved unforgiving.

Boaties and recreational water users across the region are being asked to report any sightings immediately to police. The call reflects how rescue efforts have widened beyond official search vessels and helicopters to embrace the broader maritime community who regularly traverse these waters.

Queensland Police said search operations would continue around the clock. Senior Constable Syrrell Howard said: "We will continue to search until there's been a determination by health experts that there is limited or no chance of anyone being recovered alive."

For the families involved, the uncertainty is agonising. One brother is hospitalised with serious injuries, the other is missing at sea, and relatives are coping with trauma and dread. The wider Grasstree Beach and Bray Park communities—close-knit areas that know these men—are waiting and hoping for a different outcome.

The search is a stark reminder of the inherent dangers facing commercial and recreational fishermen who venture far offshore, and a testament to the commitment of Queensland's rescue services to exhaust every option. The swift response that saved two lives demonstrates why proper emergency equipment and training are non-negotiable for anyone working at sea.