Fate of fishos a mystery as four bodies still unaccounted for
THE precise fate of four missing fishermen may forever remain a mystery after police divers cleared the wreckage of their sunken slug boat Dianne without finding any more bodies yesterday.
Police will now turn to coordinating coastline patrols in vehicles, on foot, by vessels and a plane as families try to deal with the heartbreaking news the men remain lost at sea.
Two bodies were recovered from the vessel by police divers on Saturday, with friends confirming one was crewman Adam Hoffman, 30. Police did not name the second man.
The completion of the police dive operation leaves open the possibility the men drowned while escaping or perished later when they did not chance upon a rescue.
It comes as it can be re- vealed sole survivor Ruben McDornan was resting in a cabin with crew mates when the boat flipped in stormy seas north of the Town of 1770 shortly before 7.30pm last Monday.
Miraculously escaping the upturned vessel by forcing his way through a narrow gap in a door, he was repeatedly washed away from the boat before it finally sank and left him helplessly adrift.
He was rescued by a passing catamaran skippered by Mal Priday after a horrific night at sea.
Skipper Ben Leahy, 45, and crew members Eli Tonks, 39, Adam Bidner, 33, Chris Sammut, 34, and Zach Feeney, 28, also died in the accident.
The men were on their way to a group of islands and reefs north of 1770 to harvest sea cucumbers.
Winds were gusting at up to 35 knots as a weather system moved in that would hit central Queensland with unseasonable flooding rains.
“Obviously in an 18- metre boat they thought that they would have been fine,” Mr Priday said.
“Whether it was a rogue wave or they had a mechanical malfunction, I guess that will come out in due course.”
Inspector Darren Sommerville said families, including about 30 relatives who have travelled to Gladstone, had “mixed feelings” when informed the men had not all died together.
“They have no closure I guess. At this stage we have been unable to locate the remaining four bodies,” Insp Sommerville said.
“The dive team are confident they have cleared the vessel and the immediate surrounds.”