Missing Lagoon 380 - Far North Australian waters.

[Ozbullwinkle]

I noticed this on the Sailing Australia Facebook page & don't think a thread has been created for it.

If one has already then Mods please delete this one.

[Fore and Aft]

Has he been found?
Cheers

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Has he been found?

Cheers

No, unfortunately still no sign of him.

[IslandHopper]

Coast Radio Darwin has been putting out a Pan-Pan announcement for days now, we received Sat-C notifications the first day he was reported missing but nothing since.

There is a lot of Barge/fishing traffic through the area, and of course Border Force flying through regularly, so I'm surprised nothing has been heard yet.

[Fore and Aft]

Hard to believe he could just vanish. I thought our government kept a close eye on that area. I wonder if an observation satellite has spotted something, and the information has not yet been released?
I wonder if he is tucked up a creek somewhere?
Cheers

[JPA Cate]

If he's tucked up a mangrove creek and gone fishing, crabbing, or something, he wouldn't hear the Custom's plane radio for him. If he has his VHF turned off, same thing. It's a long way from Cairns to Darwin, via Gove. Is he "overdue" and by how much?

I, too'd think the authorities would have located the vessel by now.

Ann

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by IslandHopper

Coast Radio Darwin has been putting out a Pan-Pan announcement for days now, we received Sat-C notifications the first day he was reported missing but nothing since.

There is a lot of Barge/fishing traffic through the area, and of course Border Force flying through regularly, so I'm surprised nothing has been heard yet.

Yes it amazes me too how he has just seemed to have vanished with no trace at all at this stage especially in close proximity to land unlike being in the middle of an ocean.

As someone who does deliveries myself I always wear a PLB on a belt 24/7 even while I sleep even with crew onboard. I never take it off until I reach my destination. As we all know, things can happen very fast at sea & I could think of nothing worse than finding myself overboard knowing that my PLB was still onboard as my vessel sailed off into the distance.

So many past tragedies could have been avoided had more people followed this practice. The case a few years ago off the QLD coast where a newly purchased cat was being sailed home by the new owner & 2 friends comes to mind. If you remember this very unusual case the cat was found in comparatively good order but the 3 men had all vanished. The assumption was that one or more went overboard then the others all got into difficulty attempting a rescue. If one or more of them had been wearing a PLB on their belt they would have had a good chance of being rescued to tell the tale. For around $350 with a long battery life you couldn't get a better life insurance policy & by wearing it 24/7 you are effectively using it every day so to speak.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

Hard to believe he could just vanish. I thought our government kept a close eye on that area. I wonder if an observation satellite has spotted something, and the information has not yet been released?
I wonder if he is tucked up a creek somewhere?
Cheers

I seriously hope so, the eastern side of the Wessel’s is a very forbidding stretch of coast.

[chrisr]

yet another case where AIS would solve the problem

simply no excuse for not fitting such

cheers,

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

. It's a long way from Cairns to Darwin, via Gove. Is he "overdue" and by how much?

I, too'd think the authorities would have located the vessel by now.

Ann

I have been in contact with the Rigger who made the initial Facebook post & he has told me that nothing has been heard from the vessel for 3 weeks now & the matter has been in the hands of Police & Air Sea Rescue for 10 days now with still no sign of the vessel.

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Ozbullwinkle

......

So many past tragedies could have been avoided had more people followed this practice. The case a few years ago off the QLD coast where a newly purchased cat was being sailed home by the new owner & 2 friends comes to mind. If you remember this very unusual case the cat was found in comparatively good order but the 3 men had all vanished. The assumption was that one or more went overboard then the others all got into difficulty attempting a rescue. If one or more of them had been wearing a PLB on their belt they would have had a good chance of being rescued to tell the tale. For around $350 with a long battery life you couldn't get a better life insurance policy & by wearing it 24/7 you are effectively using it every day so to speak.

Hard to believe it was 15 years ago when the Kaz II incident occurred.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...lead-8049.html

[Ozbullwinkle]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Hard to believe it was 15 years ago when the Kaz II incident occurred.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaz_II
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...lead-8049.html

Wow 15 years ago, that really is unbelievable. I thought it was about 6 or 7 maybe.

[BG305]

Strange that the vessel was found with the engine running and the fenders out.

[smj]

Originally Posted by chrisr

yet another case where AIS would solve the problem

simply no excuse for not fitting such

cheers,

Maybe they are having an adventure and intentionally didn’t install AIS or don’t have it operational as they don’t want their location known?

[Ozbullwinkle]

There is still no sign of the missing Lagoon 380 & it's solo Skipper & he has now been missing for a month.

It is quite a strange one as he was in quite close proximity to land & this area is heavily patrolled on a very regular basis by Australian Border Force & the Coastwatch aircraft.