An emotional plea has been made by the daughter of Phillip Kerswell, one of two men missing after their 8.4-metre catamaran, Mangrove Jack, failed to arrive at its destination.
The vessel departed from Yamba Harbour in northern NSW around 8 am yesterday, with an expected arrival time of 5 pm the same day at Southport on the Gold Coast. When the boat never docked, emergency services were alerted, prompting a large-scale, multi-agency search.
Authorities from both New South Wales and Queensland, including police, Marine Rescue Queensland, Surf Life Saving NSW, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, are involved in the operation. Search efforts this evening were focused on the waters around Point Danger, Ballina, and Brunswick.
Elise Kerswell, daughter of the 69-year-old on board, spoke to 9News, her voice breaking with emotion. “His phone’s off,” she said, adding she just wants her father to return safely. “If you see them, contact the police… I just want him to come home.”
The search for the two men is scheduled to resume at first light tomorrow morning.
